This chapter introduces the analytical and conceptual foundation of Radical Revival: The Complex Dynamics of Islam and State in Uzbekistan. It opens with a vivid scene of religious revival in Tashkent, symbolizing Islam’s reemergence from decades of suppression, before situating this transformation within broader sociological and political frameworks. This chapter bridges classical theories—from structural functionalism to conflict theory—to develop a new lens of paradoxical governance, explaining how the Uzbek state simultaneously promotes and represses religion. It positions Uzbekistan within global debates on secularism and state–religion relations, linking its policies to similar patterns of control and accommodation in other post-authoritarian contexts. The concept of dialectical radicalization is introduced to capture the cyclical interaction between repression and religious resilience. This chapter also outlines the methodological design and rationale for conducting fieldwork in Uzbekistan, emphasizing access to rare state and religious sources. Concluding with a roadmap of this book and its contributions to scholarship, the introduction argues that understanding Uzbekistan’s religious revival is essential for grasping how authoritarian secular states redefine faith, morality, and legitimacy in the modern world—a process in which control and belief are deeply intertwined.