Hamjamiyat

Hamjamiyat is a term used in Uzbek and Tajik languages to denote society or community, often in the sense of the public sphere or civil society. It refers to the body of people who share a common locale, institutions, values, and norms, and who interact within political, economic, and cultural life. The concept can encompass both informal social networks and organized groups that act in the public interest.

Etymology and linguistic notes establish that hamjamiyat is built from ham-, meaning together or joint, and jamiyat, meaning society. Jamiyat itself traces its roots to older Persian and Arabic terms for “society” or “community,” with adaptations in Turkic languages. In Uzbek and Tajik usage, hamjamiyat emphasizes collective life and social cohesion, sometimes highlighting the interaction between citizens and institutions.

Usage and context vary by country and era. In policy and development discourse, hamjamiyat denotes the civil society sector alongside state and market actors, including non-governmental organizations, community associations, and volunteer networks. The term is often invoked in discussions of governance, social responsibility, and public participation, as well as in programs aimed at strengthening community resilience, social inclusion, and cultural life. While it shares similarities with the Western notion of civil society, its meaning is shaped by local political histories, languages, and social norms.

See also: civil society, community, social cohesion, governance.