Institutional Capacities of the Mahalla Institution in the Formation of Civil Society in New Uzbekistan

Abstract

This article examines the philosophical essence of the mahalla as a civil institution in the context of New Uzbekistan, focusing on its social ontology, axiological foundations, and praxeological functions in the process of civil society formation. The study conceptualizes the mahalla not merely as a traditional community structure, but as a complex socio-philosophical phenomenon that embodies mechanisms of local self-organization, collective responsibility, and normative regulation within society. Particular attention is devoted to analyzing the interrelation between the mahalla institution and key contemporary socio-philosophical categories, including social identification, social capital, and civic participation.

The analysis demonstrates that within the framework of the ongoing socio-political transformations in New Uzbekistan, the mahalla functions as an important mediating institution that facilitates the interaction between the state and society, while simultaneously reinforcing the cultural and moral foundations of communal life. Consequently, the mahalla institution is theoretically substantiated as not only a historically rooted social structure but also as a significant socio-philosophical mechanism that contributes to the sustainable development of civil society institutions and the consolidation of the spiritual and ethical stability of society.