Shifting social dynamics and economic inequality in the post‐Soviet space: Networking and participation in toi among the novyi Kyrgyz

Abstract

AbstractThis article analyzes recent changes in the important social gatherings of feasting celebrations in Kyrgyzstan (toi in the Kyrgyz language) as markers of significant change in social networking practices over the post‐Soviet period. I argue that the observable increase in the number of these celebrations has been mistaken for a revitalization of kinship relations, when in fact the toi often reflect more pragmatic and strategic considerations vis‐à‐vis social networking. In the context of the attrition of state services and increasing economic and social inequality since the collapse of the Soviet Union and Kyrgyzstan's subsequent independence in 1991, the resultant patterns of association evident in toi I interpret as a mélange of custom and the assimilation of neoliberal rhetoric that was widely disseminated across the former Soviet Union during this period. This has significant consequences for well‐being among the poorest segments of society that might not be appreciated by considering numerical measures of inequality alone, such as Gini measures of income inequality preferred by international development organizations like the World Bank.