GLOBALIZATION AND THE PRESERVATION OF NATIONAL IDENTITY IN UZBEK LITERATURE: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF CONTEMPORARY STRATEGIES

Abstract

Globalization exerts a powerful influence on Central Asian literary fields, including that of Uzbekistan. This article investigates how contemporary Uzbek literature (2010–2025) negotiates the tension between global integration and the preservation of national identity. Using qualitative content analysis of 15 literary works, 12 critical essays, and 8 author interviews, the study identifies three dominant authorial strategies: selective hybridization, critical traditionalism, and transcultural writing. Results indicate that while Western genres, digital themes, and lexical mixing are pervasive, authors actively embed linguistic markers, folklore, and national historical narratives to assert local identity. The findings challenge a simple “loss versus purity” dichotomy, showing that globalization paradoxically both erodes and strengthens national literary distinctiveness. The article concludes with policy recommendations for literary education, translation funding, and digital preservation that balance openness with cultural heritage continuity.