The Volatility of the Dynamics of the Relationship Between Government and Mass Media in the Сentral Asian States: Causes and Consequences. A View from Uzbekistan

The traditions of authoritarianism have not disappeared from the practice of state-society relations with the independence of Central Asian states: liberal tendencies in these relations regularly encounter resistance from state institutions. The aim of this study is to identify the parameters of the volatility in the development of civil society using the example of public institutions such as journalism, media, and the blogosphere, as well as the causes and consequences of this volatility in the Central Asian region, particularly Uzbekistan, as well as Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Methodologically, the study utilizes data from non-governmental organizations, such as Freedom House and Reporters Without Borders, consistently applied since 2013. The authors also employ the method of observation—monitoring specific events in the sphere of relations between the state, media, and representatives of the blogosphere in the three countries—as well as a survey method, which involved 275 respondents. The recommendations of the study include the need to denationalize the media and strengthen the accountability of officials for hindering the development of freedom of speech.