Uzbekistan - Culture Smart! 2 by Profe Boris Yelin

Uzbekistan - Culture Smart! 2 by Profe Boris Yelin https://padlet.com/byelin/b7b999a83m926tuo en-us 2022-05-04 15:40:04 UTC 2025-11-23 12:17:45 UTC hello@padlet.com Sofia Churkin's notes sonyachurkin https://padlet.com/byelin/b7b999a83m926tuo/wish/2186120893 - Uzbekistan is one of two doubly landlocked countries in the world
- 23% of Uzbekistan is made up of mountains
- Uzbekistan's climate is made up of dry & hot summers, winter temperature's dropping to generally ~ -1C, and mild fall and spring weather
- The Aral Sea is the fourth largest saline inland body of water in the world
- Uzbek's make up 70% of the population in Uzbekistan. Other communities include Russian, Tajik, Kazakh, Karakalpak, Korean, and Jewish
- Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, Fergana Valley, and Khoresm host the largest portion of Uzbeks
- Uzbeks originate from Turkic-Mongol nomadic tribes in Southern Siberia who converted to Islam. They migrated south and under Muhammad Shaybani Khan, had seated in today's Uzbekistan (1510). Art is a big part of their culture, including intricate tapestries and clothing
- Today, Uzbekistan can be regarded to be the country that most resembles the Soviet Union in public and private sectors. However, this causes the younger generation to immigrate to other countries (Russia, Kazakhstan, etc) to find better economic prosperity and opportunities

]]> 2022-05-16 17:19:14 UTC https://padlet.com/byelin/b7b999a83m926tuo/wish/2186120893 Anton Ch. 3 https://padlet.com/byelin/b7b999a83m926tuo/wish/2186277291 Holidays are very important in Uzbek culture as they provide the perfect excuse to socialize with your community and other neighboring communities. Some important non-religious holidays include May 9th Victory Day, September 1st Independence Day, and October 1st Teacher and Mentors Day.

Religious holidays are also very important to Uzbek Culture. Unlike Russia, the traditional Central Asian New Year’s Day, Nowruz, is celebrated on March 21st. Nowruz is extremely popular among every Uzbek person. Children can enjoy a relaxing day and can even receive money from family members. Older people can spend the day before cleaning the house and buying new clothes before seeing relatives. Traditionally, the main ceremonial dish sumalak would be prepared mostly by women who would stand around a cauldron and take turns churning.

Ever since the independence of Uzbekistan, Uzbek government officials have been making an effort to distance itself from it’s soviet past. Many traditional soviet holidays were thus permanently canceled. Some holidays included were Revolution Day and International Labor Day. If the Uzbek government wouldn’t erase the holiday completely they would try to alter it as much as possible. Victory Day, originally celebrated the Soviet Union’s triumph over Nazi Germany. Today, it is called Day of Memory and Remembrance to honor the fallen Uzbekistan soldiers. The Uzbek government did not want to completely erase it’s own history from existence but it certainly does not want to be remembered as the soviet republic it once was.

]]> 2022-05-16 18:56:20 UTC https://padlet.com/byelin/b7b999a83m926tuo/wish/2186277291 lily ch. 2 lindquistl1 https://padlet.com/byelin/b7b999a83m926tuo/wish/2186278985 Nationality and Ethnicity:

Differentiating between ethnicities is very important
Being mistaken for another ethnicity can be offensive
Nationality refers more to ethnicity than place of citizenship
People called “true” Uzbeks are homogenous population of Ferghana Valley
Most communities, especially in cities, are very multicultural and do not have friction between the different groups

Rural vs. Urban:

> 60% population is rural and Uzbek
Mass emigration of Russians accelerated development of urban areas
Urban is not always liberal, and vice versa

Family:

Core of Uzbek society and patriarchal, however traditionally women have most if not all say when it comes to raising their children
Filiality is also very important
Traditional Uzbek housing accommodates a family and the generations before them, with multiple sections facing a courtyard
Modern: fewer children, both parents work, housework etc. is more split

Hospitality:

High respect for guests (attention, food)
Almost excessive to foreigners

Community:

Community unit = mahalla
Each has a tea house, mosque, and bazaar they go to
Neighbors are most important after family
Communal charity work = hasher
Collectivism

Secularism and religion:

Ambivalent role
Sixteen religious groups, Islam majority, then Russian Orthodox Christianity

Education:

98% literacy rate
Free, compulsory primary and secondary school
Education and teachers are highly valued/respected
Social pressure for higher education to attain status

Work ethic:

Start early, end late, with a long lunch
Formal business structure is top heavy and bureaucratic (slow)

Money:

Wealth is displayed and determines social status
But, high generosity

Authority:

Hierarchical society with respect and desire for authority
Informal social networks fill any gaps

Age:

Older people respected more
Also expected to guide those younger

Women:

Attitudes correspond to community expectations (liberal to sexist)
Have technical freedom, but public standing can create informal barriers

Homosexuality:

Illegal for male couples, but no documented convictions

Time:

Depends on context
Social interests/obligations like long lunch or a celebration takes priority over finishing the work day
Higher level officials lateness leads to inefficiency, but is standard

]]> 2022-05-16 18:57:33 UTC https://padlet.com/byelin/b7b999a83m926tuo/wish/2186278985 Wanyi's Notes on Business Briefing https://padlet.com/byelin/b7b999a83m926tuo/wish/2186304980 The Business Environment:
-One of Central Asia's largest nations
-Economy is centrally planned, resembling the late Soviet-era model
-Uzbekistan's economy relies on the exportation of cotton, vegetables, textile, gold, and cars
-Ideal for cotton production
-Contains significant mineral and energy assets

Regulations:
-A heavy regulated country (particularly when it comes to housing, taxation, residence, etc)
-On an international scale, it ranks low for human rights

Labor Migration:
-Major factor to the economy: Uzbek migrant workers in countries such as Turkey, Korea, Russia. They tend to drivers, manual laborers, shop assistants and will send their earnings back home to Uzbekistan

Office Life:
-Age and working experience are valued
-People prefer to keep their personal items to themselves (in order to withhold affection)
-Women are treated with deference

Business Dress:
-Men wear formal suit, tie, jacket; casual business attire is acceptable outside of formal scenarios
-Women often dress up with makeup and heels; in formal settings, they would wear a conservative business suit, dress, blouse with medium skirt
-Jeans, skirts, and tshirts are not generally accepted

Contracts:
-Legal system is based on the Roman law; written and signed contracts are binding
-Typically drawn up in Uzbek, Russian, and English

Managing Disagreements:
-Those within the workplace should be resolved informally or face to face
-Uzbeks are considered sensitive to what the community thinks of them and thus, they avoid confrontation
-You want to display some sort of emotion in order to come across as a "real man" -- one with heart and soul

Women in Business:
-There are few women in top-level of any organization
-Tend to be represented at middle management levels--accountant, or lawyers

Other:
-Corruption exists; people of all kinds of social status are involved with in some sort of informal exchange (not always money
-When attempting to do business as a foreigner, you would most likely have to set up a meeting through your network
-Common to shake hands before sitting in an meeting

]]> 2022-05-16 19:16:57 UTC https://padlet.com/byelin/b7b999a83m926tuo/wish/2186304980 Haley's notes https://padlet.com/byelin/b7b999a83m926tuo/wish/2186310398
Religious holidays
Nowruz:
- Nowruz is the traditional Central Asian New Year's Day, celebrated on March 21
the main ceremony takes place on the night of March 21, in which people clean their houses, buy new clothes, and visit their relatives and friends
- the main dishes are sumalak
Eid al-Fitr
- celebrated at the end of Ramadan
- it lasts for three days and people see their older relatives and neighbors
Eid al- Adha
- is 68 days of Eid al- Fitr and it is about the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son, so an animal is usually sacrificed during this time
Easter
- congregations gather at larger Orthodox churches, and sometimes Muslims even join the celebration
- people bring boiled eggs and decorate eggs

Ex-Soviet Holidays
- the authorities have made an effort to remove all references to the country's Soviet past from public life, which means no soviet holidays are celebrated.
- Such as the Day of the Revolution and International Labor Day
- Though International Women's Day, an important holiday in the soviet union, has stayed

International festivals:
- Uzbekistan culture has been becoming more mainstream as Halloween and Valentine's day have been gaining popularity among the younger gen.
- though the authorities have declared that these holidays are compromising the Islamic ideals of chaste and pure love.

Birth
- beshik-tuy is the ritual celebration of putting a newborn baby in a cradle for the first time. It is usually done on the 7th, 9th, or 11th day after the birth.
- the mother's side usually provides the cradle, tablecloth, cakes, and toys.
- the grandfather passes the cradle to the son, who then gives it to the baby's mother

Names:
- Uzebks names can reveal a lot about a person's ethnic, social, and family background
- Most tames originate from Arabic, Persia, Or Turkic

Circumcision
- performed on 3, 5, 7 year old boys
- held in public halls
- performed by local medicine man

Birthdays
- was introduced by the Russians
- more important for young people

funerals
- the body is washed and wrapped in a white shroud inside the home
- women do not go to the cemetery, only men see off the dead
- meals are not prepared in the house, neighbors take over this responsibility ]]> 2022-05-16 19:21:13 UTC https://padlet.com/byelin/b7b999a83m926tuo/wish/2186310398 Ryan's notes https://padlet.com/byelin/b7b999a83m926tuo/wish/2186321141 Holidays/Festivals:
- Official Islamic holidays: Eid-al Fitr and Eid al-Adha.
- National Holidays: Victory Day (May 9th), Independence Day (Sept. 1), Day of Teachers and Mentors (Oct. 1), Constitution Day (Dec. 8).
- Other holidays include Nowruz, Easter, New Year's Day, and International Women's Day.
International Festivals:
- The only two international holidays that have entered mainstream culture are Halloween and Valentine's Day.
- However, both have garnered controversy due to being amoral or too foreign, and as such are celebrated in private.
Customs/Traditions:
- Beshik-tuy is the ritual of putting a newborn baby in a cradle for the first time, typically held on the seventh, ninth, or eleventh day after the birth.
- However, in Russian and "Christian" communities birth is a private affair
- Uzbekistan names reveal much about a person's ethnic, social, and family background, especially post-USSR
- Russian name endings have been replaced with more traditional suffixes
- Each name has a different meaning and tradition, such as high child mortality rates resulting in names like Tursun ("Let him stay")
- Circumcision is widespread due to the prevalence of Islam
- Weddings are the most important traditional rituals in Uzbek culture
- They are a projection of both family's status, and are usually a massive affair with wide variations depending on region, class, and style.
- One ceremony is "the morning plov," which is shared with friends, relatives, and neighbors after a morning prayer.
- Brought over by Russians, birthdays are now widely celebrated by a variety of groups.
- Funerals are very conservative and typically follow Muslim practices with some local aspects.
- Uzbek tradition excludes women from the cemetery, and the dead must be buried on the day of their death.
- Some common superstitions include buying things in pairs, keeping bread face up, not cutting finger nails outside of your home, and not shaking hands with your left hand.

]]> 2022-05-16 19:29:15 UTC https://padlet.com/byelin/b7b999a83m926tuo/wish/2186321141 Griffin's Notes https://padlet.com/byelin/b7b999a83m926tuo/wish/2186329032 - There are lots of holidays and events during which Uzbekistan residents socialize and celebrate. The most important are National Holidays (Victory Day on May 9, Independence Day on Sep 1, Day of Teachers on Oct 1, and Constitution Day on Dec 8) . March 8th is designated as Internaitonal Women's day, and is an ex-soviet tradition
- The most popular ex-sovier holiday is New Years
- Islamic holidays are also celebrated, including Norwuz/New Years Eid-al Fitr, Easter, and Eid al-Adha (although names for these vary locally).
- Although the wort tradition is used broadly, there is a vast and diverse mosaic of beliefs and customs and traditions in Uzbekistan. That said, traditions are a powerful link to ancestors and history, so many people adhere to them, particularly Uzbeks.
- Uzbek ceremonies are mainly related to birth, marriage, and death.
- Names carry a lot of information. Their pattern is Soviet: family name, first name, and paternal derivative. As far as Uzbek names go, Arabic names carry the highest status, Persian middle, and Turkic the least. Other types or names are Russian, Armenian, Tartar, or a mixed name.
- Circumcision is becoming more widespread, and the ceremonial and celebratory practices around it are diminishing with time.
- Weddings are by far the most important/biggest ceremonies, with huge variation across class, region, and tradition. Most ceremonies span several days and involve lots of plov.
- Birthdays aren't Muslim, but Russian influence brought them to be mainstream, similar to American birthdays.
- Funerals are very conservative. In Uzbek tradition, only men attend, and the body is laid in a grave pit on the day of the death. Strangers will often join the procession and join the burial for at least 7 steps. Bereft families open their home for three days after. Russian funerals are more complex– a coffin is used, the process is more similar to US funerals.
Uzbek: SUPERSTITIONS include
- Bread should be face up
- Buy things in even numbers
- Only cut fingernails at home
- Ward off evil eye with a tiny Quran- do not eat or shake hands with left hand
- Horsemeat sausage increase male potency
Russian superstitions include
- broken mirror and spilled salt are bad luck
- Don't hold birthday party before birthday
- Never whistle inside a house
- If someone sneezes while saying something, they're telling the truth. ]]> 2022-05-16 19:35:52 UTC https://padlet.com/byelin/b7b999a83m926tuo/wish/2186329032 Ezra notes https://padlet.com/byelin/b7b999a83m926tuo/wish/2186332161 - most of the country is Uzbek, at least officially, although during the soviet era they had to pick one ethnicity and many people chose Uzbek to put over their passports over ones that were then considered more “problematic” than “neutral”
-Tashkent is a very international city and tends to be more open to international ideas
-most Uzbek people don’t live in cities and don’t often travel abroad
-Uzbek society is rather hierarchical, respect is really important especially when addressing older people
-Women have constrained expectations in society. According to traditions they are not supposed to work. It is considered except able for women to work in places that is seen as as extension of her work with her family, in jobs like teaching, cooking, cleaning. Modern women in cities tend to branch out more, but still have to balance traditional expectations and the modern global expectations.]]> 2022-05-16 19:38:10 UTC https://padlet.com/byelin/b7b999a83m926tuo/wish/2186332161 notes/highlights – aaron https://padlet.com/byelin/b7b999a83m926tuo/wish/2186362305 Nationality/Ethnicity

“nationality” is in reference to ethnicity not citizenship
Many have been falsely recorded as just Uzbek ethnicity
Cross-cultural awareness provides a rich cultural background for jokes that could seem risqué or racist

Urban vs Rural

Over 60 percent of the population of the country is rural, and predominantly Uzbek.
There was a mass emigration of the Russians in the 1990s and early 2000s

Family and Hospitality

Old people are respected, treated with deference, listened to, obeyed, and looked after.
guests are treated with respect, a lot of attention, a lot of food
token resistance is all right but public rejection is considered impolite and causes huge embarrassment for the hosts

Community

mahalla—a neighborhood from several to several dozen households
After Independence the mahalla was institutionalized but lost most of its democratic power as an independent, self-governing body.

Secularism and Religion

90 percent of the population are Muslims
Uzbekistan is a secular state
Firm place of religion in culture, strict government control
Non islamic influence: magical practices and talismans, superstitions, the use of fire and water in some rituals, and the worshiping of holy places and the dead
The embracing of religion is therefore more of a cultural statement than conviction

Education

literacy rate of nearly 98 percent
Formal education is greatly valued, especially higher education,

Work Ethic

Personal relationships make up for inflexible, large bureaucracy

Women and Homosexuality

Foreign women are not judged at the standard for local women
Male homosexuality is illegal but no one has been convicted
it is not homosexuality itself that most people find objectionable, but an overt display of it

]]> 2022-05-16 20:04:00 UTC https://padlet.com/byelin/b7b999a83m926tuo/wish/2186362305 Leo https://padlet.com/byelin/b7b999a83m926tuo/wish/2186570167 - centrally planned
- cotton, vegetables, cars, textiles
- lots of overregulation
- job migration
- formal
- corruption prevalent, but slightly misleading
- lots of informal social exchange
- frequently corruption just accelerates already legal processes
- "familiarity (can) breed contempt, or at least a lack of respect
- roman law
- disagreements in the workplace can be better addressed informally
-uzbeks can be sensitive to criticism they feel is aimed towards them as a community ("we" people)
- avoid public confrontation to save face
- important to come across as a real man: susceptible to emotion and not overly formal
- Women respected but hard to find at highest levels

]]> 2022-05-17 00:03:30 UTC https://padlet.com/byelin/b7b999a83m926tuo/wish/2186570167 Business in Uzbekistan - Jack https://padlet.com/byelin/b7b999a83m926tuo/wish/2186747302 Conducting business in Uzbekistan is a complicated affair, regardless of whether or not you hail from the country or are a foreigner.

The Uzbek economy is centrally planned and resembles the post-soviet model in many ways. It also experiences much of the problems of the model that have plagued it since its inception. While often inefficient in terms of matching supply and demand, the choice for a centrally planned models stems form a desire for social stability. Decades of instability have left them jaded against further insurrection nd unrest, and they would rather have slow growing consistency then irregular but market driven progress.

Central planning extends to the currency control, in which there is much regulation of foreign currency.

Despite these setbacks, the Uzbek economy is founded on a massive system of natural resources, particularly valuable in the mineral world. Copper, uranium and other minerals are abundant throughout the country. Massive amounts of foreign investment in this sector ensure that Uzbekistan will remain the apple of many mineral investors eyes for decades to come.

Business meetings are often initiated by your private network as opposed to through public channels. Meetings are then begun with handshakes all around, typically of the men given that women, while highly respected in the culture, are very rare in the higher levels of private of the public sector.

Problems in the workplace also should be sorted out in unscrupulous ways, because formal avenues are neglected and disrespected.

When dressing for work, men usually wear a formal suit or tie and women wear profesional clothes with high heels and make-up.

One of the largest plagues int eh Uzbek business world is corruption. It extends to every aspect of the professional life, from teachers to traffic cops. A lack of transparency fuels this fire and it is an impediment to growth in many areas. ]]> 2022-05-17 02:16:50 UTC https://padlet.com/byelin/b7b999a83m926tuo/wish/2186747302 Arden's Notes https://padlet.com/byelin/b7b999a83m926tuo/wish/2189038763 - Most of the population is concentrated in large cities (especially Tashkent). These cities are in the 10% of the country that is irrigated
- The borders aren't related to topography or ethnic makeup which has prevented the country from attaining a natural 'coherence and integrity' in regard to its transportation
- The country used to operate off of a traditional time table but climate change has affected its reliability
- Samarkand was less affected by Russian culture than other parts of the country but restoration has turned its monuments into "sanitized objects of Orientalist admiration"
- The old town of Samarkand is mostly Tajik-speaking
- Many Uzbeks, especially from rural areas, have emigrated to other countries like Russia, Kazakhstan and Korea in search of opportunity
- The book says Uzbeks are a "relaxed and hospitable people governed by a strict bureaucratic regime" (which makes me think it was written pre-2016 but i'm not sure)]]> 2022-05-18 07:22:17 UTC https://padlet.com/byelin/b7b999a83m926tuo/wish/2189038763 Ava’s notes https://padlet.com/byelin/b7b999a83m926tuo/wish/2189061486 - post-Soviet legacy of overregulation, bureaucracy and red tape constrained business environment — reforms are opening up the economy

- women are addressed professionally, and more are rising through the ranks in the private sector
- multicultural business settings tend to be more liberal, flat hierarchies, with more women

- traditional business environments tend to be hierarchical, with strict adherence to rules and superiors
- advice for Westerners: when giving a presentation, try to establish an informal/friendly rapport with Uzbek audience (because otherwise, the perception of being lectured at will lose you listeners)

]]> 2022-05-18 07:39:08 UTC https://padlet.com/byelin/b7b999a83m926tuo/wish/2189061486 https://padlet.com/byelin/b7b999a83m926tuo/wish/2189100707 Oliver's Notes

The Uzbek economy has a plan that greatly resembles the Soviet era model
Driven by caution and the need for social stability
Major exports are cotton, vegetables, textile, gold, gas, and cars; this does not encourage any deep reform initiatives, and the volatility of these markets often makes the authorities go back to the familiar command economy system
Currency control limits foreign investment
Growing sectors include textiles and agriculture
Uzbekistan is one of the larger central asian countries with lots of natural resources
Heavy gold production
Uzbekistan is a heavily regulated country compared to many others notably in regards to political positioning and freedom of speech
Lot son official and informal bans that vary depending on context
Up to a million labor migrants
Business structure is varied from traditional Buisness models to NGO’s to top down hierarchies
another. The power status of a person expands beyond their working duties, and rules that apply to a boss are more relaxed than the ones that their subordinates are expected to follow
A professional dress code is typically the norm although some business casual in more informal settings can be expected
A large amount of corruption is present left over from soviet bureaucracy
Corruption streamlines somethings typically legal matters and less so criminal endeavors
The government has attempted to alleviate corruption by tightening its hold on the already over regulated nation
Meetings are usually arranged through intermediaries and the senior most attendee typically sets the pace and decided on the setting
Uzbeks are sensitive to their reputations and tend to avoid confrontation
Disagreements should be handled behind closed doors
Women are respected in the workforce yet are difficult to fins at the highest levels
Contracts are seen as important and binding although carrying through with them can be difficult do to regulations and procedures that slow them down or limit them
Negotiations and bargaining are prevalent
Negotiations can be elusive, motivating, spontaneous, tense and contentious at the same time

]]> 2022-05-18 08:08:30 UTC https://padlet.com/byelin/b7b999a83m926tuo/wish/2189100707