INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION AND EVERYDAY SOCIAL EXCLUSION: A CASE STUDY FROM UZBEKISTAN

Abstract

This article studies how political culture and everyday social behavior affect state soft power through international education. Using Uzbekistan as a case study, it examines how the growing number of international students interacts with social attitudes in a changing political context. Although official policies promote openness and international cooperation in education, everyday social interactions often develop outside formal rules and institutions.

Based on political culture theory and the concept of soft power, the article argues that informal social practices have political importance because they influence how a state is perceived by foreign publics. The study concludes that differences between official policy goals and everyday social behavior can reduce the effectiveness of international education as a tool of public diplomacy, showing the need to consider informal aspects of political culture in governance and reform strategies.