Хлопок как ресурс (де)модернизации в Узбекистане

Cotton as a Resource of (De)Modernization in Uzbekistan

This article offers an in-depth analysis of cotton cultivation in Uzbekistan as a multifaceted historical and anthropological phenomenon. It explores not only the economic dimensions but also the socio-cultural and symbolic implications associated with cotton. The primary objective is to elucidate the mechanisms through which cotton has transitioned from a resource symbolizing modernization to one representing crisis and demodernization within late Soviet and post-Soviet contexts. Employing a multidisciplinary methodology, the study integrates historical and anthropological analysis, interpretation of cultural representations, and discursive textual and visual analysis. The research draws upon a comprehensive source base, including regulatory documents, scientific publications, journalistic texts, statistical datasets, as well as fictional works and cinematic representations, all reflecting the social repercussions of expanding cotton monoculture. Special emphasis is placed on examining cultural images and metaphors related to cotton in late 20th-century literature and visual media. Findings indicate that cotton functioned not solely as an economic driver for modernization but also played a crucial role as a symbolic element in shaping collective memory, fostering social resentment, and articulating national discourse in post-Soviet Uzbekistan. The process of modernization associated with cotton cultivation appears to be fraught with contradictions and incompletions, often accompanied by demodernizing effects. This imposed modernization frequently manifested as forms of nationalism, anti-colonial sentiment, and cultural resistance, highlighting the complex interplay between development and regression in Uzbek society.