Author ORCID Identifier
https://orcid.org/0009-0005-0778-20466
Abstract
Marriage governance in Kyrgyzstan is shaped by the coexistence of secular law, Islamic norms, and customary law), creating a plural legal environment in which multiple sources of authority regulate family relations. This study examines how these normative systems interact in the governance of marriage, identifies areas of convergence and divergence, and explores their implications for legal legitimacy and family regulation. Employing a qualitative socio-legal methodology grounded in legal pluralism theory, the research draws on documentary and comparative analysis of legal texts, Islamic sources, official religious guidance, and relevant scholarly literature. The findings demonstrate that marriage governance in Kyrgyzstan operates through three interconnected sources of legitimacy: legal legitimacy derived from state institutions, religious legitimacy derived from Islamic norms, and social legitimacy derived from customary practices and community recognition. The study argues that individuals frequently seek validation from all three normative orders simultaneously, resulting in a hybrid model of marriage governance. To explain this dynamic, the article proposes a triple-legitimacy framework that captures the interaction of legal, religious, and social forms of legitimacy within a formally secular state.
Recommended Citation
Adylbekkyzy, Aisuluu; Azhimamatov, Zailabidin; and Kariev, Aiitmamat
(2026)
"Marriage Governance in Kyrgyzstan: Convergence and Divergence Between Secular Law, Islamic Norms, and Customary Practices,"
Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe: Vol. 46
:
Iss.
7
, Article 4.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55221/2693-2229.2861
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/ree/vol46/iss7/4