Children's Storybooks as Tools of Nation-Building: A Thematic Study of Government-Sanctioned Texts, 1992-2024.

Abstract

Since independence in 1991, Uzbekistan has used primary-school storybooks as instruments of civic socialization and the construction of national identity. The article provides diachronic thematic and visual-semiotic analysis of 40 state-sanctioned Uzbek children's storybooks produced between 1992 and 2024. Applying a mixed-methods framework that encompasses qualitative coding, semiotic illustrative analysis, and light topic modeling, this study maps the shifting nation-building narratives manifested through three political epochs: early independence (1992–2000), late Karimov era (2001–2016), and Mirziyoyev reform period (2017–2024). In contrast to overt post-Soviet rupture and the symbolism of patriotism in the beginning years, themes now include economic modernization, multicultural inclusion, and environmental stewardship. Female protagonists in STEM roles are depicted only after 2018. Findings as retreat how storybooks can be iteratively instruments of state pedagogy reflecting transitions in leadership as well as pressures from globalization. It also adds to post-colonial knowledge with replicable frameworks for textbook analyses.