Linguistic ecocide and environmental collapse in the suppression of Uzbek language
Abstract
This article examines how Soviet-era linguistic suppression in Uzbekistan contributed to environmental degradation across Central Asia, as exemplified by the Aral Sea disaster. It argues that this suppression constituted epistemic displacement, dismantling traditional systems of ecological knowledge and replacing adaptive, local management with extractive, centralised models. More than three decades after independence, Uzbekistan’s environmental governance remains tied to a colonial linguistic framework that restricts community participation and undermines ecological resilience. Through historical discourse analysis, comparative case studies, and critical ecolinguistic theory, the study demonstrates that reintegrating Uzbek ecological vocabulary into law, education, and policy is essential for sustainable reform. It concludes that linguistic justice is a fundamental condition for fair and effective environmental restoration.