Multiculturalism and National-Building Processes in Kazakhstan: Theoretical Perspective

Abstract

The complexity of multiculturalism has been central to European countries' political concerns since the 19th century. The era of globalisation creates another complex dimension of multiculturalism based on continuity and discontinuity. Multiculturalism also deals with the growing numbers of the geopolitical situation in the context of Eurasian integration. Most recently, in the wake of religious extremism in the world and the ensuing contention of superpowers like the U.S.A., China and Russia created another debate on multiculturalism. Most often, multiculturalism is addressed by questions of ethnicity, religion and nationality. However, it is also essential to consider cultural differences such as gender, age, disability, and other aspects of identity and social equality. The concept of multiculturalism comes into a complex and ambiguous relationship with the ideology of the national-building process. The issue of nationalism is associated with aspects of ethnic and national identity, particularly in the era of social transformation. This paper aims to elaborate on a theoretical conceptualisation of multiculturalism and the national building process in Kazakhstan and its prospects and challenges.  Keywords: Multiculturalism, National-Building processes, Central Asia, Kazakhstan, Ethnicity&nbsp