islam; nationalism; kyrgyzstan; sacred space; religion

Reverence for the natural environment is part of many nationalist ideologies. At the same time, nationalism is also connected with religious traditions that may embrace certain perspectives on the environment. This chapter explores the nexus of religion, ecology, and nationalism, demonstrating how religion and nationalism intersect vis-à-vis environmental preservation. Specifically, it focuses on the Kumtor gold mine and the Lake Issyk-Kul Biosphere Reserve in the Kyrgyz Republic, where protest against environmental degradation frequently assumes a form that is at once nationalist and religious or spiritual. The chapter also examines how designating sacred space is understood as a means of promoting ecological sustainability. The chapter thus highlights the connections between religious and nationalist discourses vis-à-vis political ecology, and indicates potential areas for future research.

Reverence for the natural environment is part of many nationalist ideologies. At the same time, nationalism is also connected with religious traditions that may embrace certain perspectives on the environment. This chapter explores the nexus of religion, ecology, and nationalism, demonstrating how religion and nationalism intersect vis-à-vis environmental preservation. Specifically, it focuses on the Kumtor gold mine and the Lake Issyk-Kul Biosphere Reserve in the Kyrgyz Republic, where protest against environmental degradation frequently assumes a form that is at once nationalist and religious or spiritual. The chapter also examines how designating sacred space is understood as a means of promoting ecological sustainability. The chapter thus highlights the connections between religious and nationalist discourses vis-à-vis political ecology, and indicates potential areas for future research.