Redefining responsible consumption decent work: Insights from the second-hand industry in Uzbekistan

Abstract

The goal of this paper is to examine how the practices of small businesses engaged in acquiring, repairing, and reselling second-hand goods in Uzbekistan can contribute insights for shaping policies related to responsible consumption and decent work. Employing Gibson-Graham's method of reading for difference, this project aims to portray the diversity of the second-hand industry in Tashkent and reframe the narrative on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to render them more inclusive and performance-oriented. Data for the paper were gathered through a focus group and structured interviews with Uzbek entrepreneurs in four neighborhoods of Tashkent. The interview findings reveal that, beyond income and job security, entrepreneurs in Uzbekistan's second-hand industry highly value being self-employed and the connections their work allows them to establish with their customers. Moreover, this article underscores that responsible consumption is a dynamic concept primarily reliant on accessibility, creativity, and connectivity with one's surroundings and social network.