post-Soviet Kazakhstan Research Articles

The Archaeology of Nationalizing Regimes in the Post-Soviet Space

The article focuses on the nature of nationalizing regimes and nationalist narratives in post-Soviet Kazakhstan and Latvia, both of which have significant Russian-speaking minority populations. In addressing the evolution of these regimes, the article examines the differences between the more nationalistic trend in Latvia and the more ambiguous identity projects in Kazakhstan and the reasons why these two tendencies have persisted. Movements, parties, and elites have changed over time, altering the political competition, but not the agenda of the nationalistic groups seeking power within the regime. The article proposes to study the winning and losing political groups through the prism of the nationalizing regimes—the ideational and decision-making framework of nation-building that guides and controls the dominant discourses about the nation.

Supporting the expatriate social scientist: Faculty research and information access in post-Soviet Kazakhstan

Librarians in America and Europe find that social scientists rely heavily on journal articles, specialized data, and feedback from colleagues in directing their research. This project uses 21 ethnographic interviews with librarians, students, and faculty at “Atameken University” in post-Soviet Kazakhstan to explore how social scientists adjust such research habits to a context of distant information sources and limited access. By developing technological adaptations to the local context, expatriate scholars can surmount most barriers to access—and yet librarians are then less able to effectively support research. Increased access to information and skilled librarians remains essential for Eurasian universities seeking to support world-class research in the developing world.

Remembering and forgetting: the state policy of memorializing Stalin's repression in post-Soviet Kazakhstan

The general perception of Western analysts and observers is that the nation-states created as a result of the breakup of the Soviet Union all treat the memory of the dark, repressive aspects of the Stalinist regime in public spaces as a symbolic element in the creation of a new post-Soviet identity [Denison, Michael. 2009. “The Art of the Impossible: Political Symbolism, and the Creation of National Identity and Collective Memory in Post-Soviet Turkmenistan.”Europe-Asia Studies61 (7): 1167–1187]. We argue that the government of Kazakhstan employs non-nationalistic discourse in its treatment of Stalinist victims’ commemoration in a variety of forms, through the creation of modern memorial complexes at the sites of horrific Soviet activity (mass burial places, labor camps, and detention centers), purpose-built museum exhibitions, and the commemorative speeches of its president and other officials. Kazakhstan's strategy in commemorating its Soviet past is designed to highlight the inclusiveness of repression on all peoples living in its territory at that time, not just Kazakhs, thereby assisting in bringing together its multinational and multiethnic society. Thus, the official stance treats this discourse as an important symbolic source of shaping the collective memory of the nation, based on “a general civil identity without prioritizing one ethnic group over another — a national unity, founded on the recognition of a common system of values and principles for all citizens” [Shakirova, Svetlana. 2012. “Letters to Nazarbaev: Kazakhstan's Intellectuals Debate National Identity.” February 7. Accessed July 28, 2015.http://postsovietpost.stanford.edu/discussion/letters-nazarbaev-kazakhstans-intellectuals-debate-national-identity].

“I Fell into Librarianship”: Experiences of Post-Soviet Librarians at the National Academic Library in Astana, Kazakhstan

ABSTRACTThis paper explores the attitudes of librarians in post-Soviet Kazakhstan regarding their roles at the new National Academic Library of the Republic of Kazakhstan (NAL). Using ethnographic observation, interviews, and surveys of library staff (n = 24), we find that Kazakhstani librarians either sensed a “calling” to librarianship or “fell into” library careers given life circumstances, and value their library for its contribution to cultural preservation and digital access on a national scale. This pilot project presents NAL to an international community, sharing the voices of Russian- and Kazakh-speaking librarians to highlight the role of libraries in the development of the post-Soviet nation.

Breeding ecology of the endemic Black Lark Melanocorypha yeltoniensis on natural steppe and abandoned croplands in post-Soviet Kazakhstan

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the abundance and distribution of many central Asian steppe birds have been affected by changes in agricultural land management, such as the abandonment of large areas of cropland and changing grazing patterns. However, the underlying population processes that drive patterns of abundance and distribution are poorly understood. We compared the population ecology of the Black Lark Melanocorypha yeltoniensis on natural steppe and abandoned cropland. Between 2009 and 2013, we used distance sampling to quantify Black Lark population density, monitored 220 nests to assess reproductive performance, and modelled habitat selection at several scales. Arthropod food availability was compared using pitfall traps. Mean population densities were three times higher on abandoned cropland compared to those in steppe, and varied with time since abandonment. Nest survival rates were significantly lower on abandoned cropland compared to steppe, probably due to higher predation pressure. Chick growth rates were also lower on abandoned cropland, despite higher insect availability in this habitat. Habitat selection was strongly influenced by grazing intensity and vegetation structure. We suggest that Black Larks are generally attracted to abandoned cropland because of its suitable vegetation structure and higher food availability. The results of a fecundity model suggested that the number of breeding attempts on abandoned cropland necessary to produce the same number of fledglings as one nesting attempt in steppe habitat was 2.04 in 2011 and 3.62 in 2013. However, a phenological analysis revealed that there were only two peaks in first egg dates, making more than two re-nesting attempts per year unlikely. Therefore, abandoned cropland could, at least in some years, be an ecological trap for the species. Our results illustrate that the effects of land-use change on animal populations should not only be assessed using species densities, but also incorporate detailed demographic analyses. If current densities in steppe habitat corresponded to maximum carrying capacity, overall population densities of Black Larks are likely to decline in the near future as availability of abandoned cropland as nesting habitat is currently decreasing.

The Eurasian Utopia

The primary objective of this article is to analyse the founder of the contemporary Kazakh art Rustam Khalfin's artistic practices as a precious legacy of local modernism. Although modernism belongs to a relatively recent past, it is already regarded as an important period in the history of culture, which has to be studied, understood and preserved. In the Soviet and post-Soviet period Kazakhstan found itself in an unusual socio-cultural situation, when universal modernisation started to percolate into the patriarchal way of life of the local population. Nomads have always been open-minded people ready to adopt new developments from other cultures and interpret them in their own way. Rustam Khalfin's practices are an example of remarkable reflection on such methods of conservation and actualisation of traditions in the rhizomatic mode, which does not suggest a rigid linear construction: ‘It is a model, which continues to perpetually construct itself and deepen, and a process, which never ceases to continue, get fragmented and resume.’ (Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari, A Thousand Plateaus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia, 2010). They exemplify a specific approach to the conservation of the local modernity, although it seems utopian compared to the European tradition of cultural heritage preservation.

Parliamentary Reforms of 2007 and One Party Dominated Parliament of Kazakhstan (2007-2012)

This article examines a parliamentary development in post-Soviet Kazakhstan during 2007-2012 years from historical and institutional point of view. It exclusively deals with the formation and development of the sixth post-Soviet Parliament of Kazakhstan, which was technically called the fourth convocation of Parliament. Authors analyse the parliamentary reforms of 2007 and its consequences and impact for the development of parliamentarism and party system in Kazakhstan. A case study of this particular convocation of modern Kazakh legislature allows us to make an in-depth research and helps us to better understand main peculiarities of legislative development during the period of 2007-2012. Article concludes that the forth convocation of the Parliament of Kazakhstan, which functioned during the 2007-2012, proved to be even more unanimous and homogenous in terms of both party affiliations and political orientations in comparison to its predecessors. On the one hand, this kind of solidarity contributed to the political stability and smooth political reforms; on the other hand, homogeneity of the Parliament impacted the lack of competitiveness and hampered the development of party factions and deputy groups within Parliament and the development of party system per se. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n6s1p335

The ideology of development and legitimation: beyond ‘Kazakhstan 2030’

The paper analyses the multifaceted discourse of development and nation-building in post-Soviet Kazakhstan. It addresses the regional clan–central elite relations and Nursultan Nazarbayev regime's legitimating agenda through the Kazakhstan 2030 Strategy for development. The economic developmental component in Nazarbayev's ideological discourses is primarily an exercise of control over regional economic and political elites and that helped building further legitimacy for the regime in various socio-ethnic constituencies on both the regional and central levels. Kazakhstan 2030 was deployed by the regime to substitute the Soviet version of ideology, legitimize the regime among various ethno-lingual audiences, and discipline the behaviour of regional elites. The paper shows how the study of elites’ interests can best explain the nature of national ideology and development projects.

INTERACTION OF PARLIAMENTS WITH EXECUTIVE BRANCHES IN POST-SOCIALIST ROMANIA AND KAZAKHSTAN: COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

Studies on legislature-executive relations have gained a crucial place in the field of comparative politics. However, the most intriguing challenge for comparative political studies has been investigating the collapse of socialist regimes and development of new institutions in post-communist and post-Soviet countries. Accordingly, this article compares legislative-executive relations in Kazakhstan and Romania, in a longitudinal perspective, from the time of communism’s collapse. These relationships have evolved somewhat differently in Romania compared to Kazakhstan, despite both countries having semi-presidential systems. A comparative analysis helps us to better understand the role and place of the parliament in each of the respective countries. The authors identify similarities and differences of legislature-executive relations in post-communist Romania and post-Soviet Kazakhstan, while making some inference about the strength of legislatures. The article concludes with a summation that the frequent cases of no-confidence votes in Romania has resulted in an unstable government and, often, governmental crises, but at the same time, this indicates a relatively powerful parliament, whereas the non-existence of such practices in Kazakhstan has contributed to a strong, stable, and unanimous cabinet, but with a weak and subservient parliament.

Informal payments and connections in post-Soviet Kazakhstan

In Soviet times, useful contacts had more value than money, and getting things done through unofficial channels of personal relations was a socially accepted norm. What changes have market reforms brought to Kazakhstan in these areas? This article details the use of informal payments and connections in Almaty and examines why non-monetary exchange of favours is increasingly being replaced by the immediate exchange of cash for assistance. This article argues that urban residents are becoming more inclined to quickly return a favour through cash and evade the lengthy exchanges involved in building reciprocal relationships, a practice widely accepted during Soviet times. This article also focuses on the importance of personal contacts in monetized exchange and demonstrates that cash payment is not a least preferred strategy for those who lack necessary networks. Urban residents in Kazakhstan in fact actively mobilize their personal networks to effectively and securely exchange monetary rewards.

State retrenchment and informal institutions in Kazakhstan: people's perceptions of informal reciprocity in the healthcare sector

Despite government efforts, post-independence Kazakhstan has largely failed to provide high-quality medical services to its population. State retrenchment in the public healthcare system has led to the deterioration of medical service delivery. It has provided incentives for people to widely use informal reciprocal exchanges – personal connections and informal monetary and non-monetary payments – to gain access to better medical care. In contrast to the existing explanations focusing mostly on the cultural origin of the continuity of informal exchanges, I argue that state retrenchment from the social sphere and under-provision of state goods and services have perpetuated informal exchanges in post-Soviet Kazakhstan. Despite similarities in informal practices between Soviet and post-independence Kazakhstan, some important differences in terms of scope and the nature of informal exchanges are observed. This article draws on data collected from interviews, textual analysis, and original surveys of people's attitudes towards the healthcare system and informal help conducted in Kazakhstan in 2011 and 2013.

Nomads, warriors and bureaucrats: nation-building and film in post-Soviet Kazakhstan

Nation-building is a process which is often contested, not just among different ethnicities within a nation-state, but also among the titular ethnic majority. This article explores the contested nature of the nation-building process in post-Soviet Kazakhstan through examining cinematic works. Utilizing a post-modern perspective which views nations and national identity as invented, imagined and ambivalent it identifies four discursive strands within recent post-Soviet Kazakh cinema pertaining to nationhood and national identity (ethno-centric, civic, religious and socioeconomic). Rather than viewing government-sponsored efforts of identity formation in cinema as a top-down process in which the regime transmits its version of nationhood and identity, the discursive strands revealed in this article illustrate there are varying understandings of what constitutes the nation and national identity in Kazakh cinematic works. Furthermore, the strand which focuses on the socioeconomic tensions of modern nation-building in Kazakhstan uncovers how film is used as a site for dissent and social critique of Kazakhstan's modern political condition. What the article illuminates is how discourses related to nation-building can be both competing and complementary and that nation-building is a fluid and transgressive process in which among the titular majority there is no fixed unambiguous understanding of nationhood and national identity.

Artistic trends in children cinema of post-Soviet Kazakhstan

This article is dedicated to modern children cinema of Kazakhstan: themes, subjects and characters. The authors consider children films as well as such branches of film industry like “art cinema” and “auteur cinematography” with children and teenagers the main characters. Applying comparative and contrastive analysis, the authors of this article distinguish major artistic mainstreams in the field of children cinema and films dedicated to children and juveniles in the period from 1991 to 2013. The main objective of the study is to trace and explore the Kazakh children feature film industry, starting from 1950s and until 2010s, as a single continuous cinematic process. The authors study films classifying them into two categories: 1) films for children and youth, 2) films about children and teenagers. The article studies and summarizes film materials by decades with regard to children and youth issues; pinpoints the dramaturgical structure of films, the visualization of the images of children and adolescents, the reflection of national mind-set, and spiritual values in the most iconic films.

Artistic Trends in Children Cinema of Post-Soviet Kazakhstan

This article is dedicated to modern children cinema of Kazakhstan: themes, subjects and characters. The authors consider children films as well as such branches of film industry like “art cinema” and “auteur cinematography” with children and teenagers the main characters. Applying comparative and contrastive analysis, the authors of this article distinguish major artistic mainstreams in the field of children cinema and films dedicated to children and juveniles in the period from 1991 to 2013. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n2s4p95

Who Gets What, When and How? Housing and Informal Institutions in the Soviet Union and Post-Soviet Kazakhstan

Informal reciprocal exchanges continue to shape people’s interactions in post-Soviet Kazakhstan. State retrenchment from the social sphere and growing inequality has markedly limited citizens’, access to scarce resources including housing. This has stimulated people’s involvement in informal exchanges. The article analyzes housing policy during the Soviet and post-Soviet periods taking a closer look at the process of housing allocation. It claims that despite formalization of housing distribution, citizens continue using informal networks to gain access to that scarce commodity in the post-Soviet period. The article draws on data collected from interviews, textual analysis, and original surveys conducted in Kazakhstan in 2011 and 2013.

Global Astana: nation branding as a legitimization tool for authoritarian regimes

This paper examines how, in post-Soviet Kazakhstan, both channels of elite and banal nationalism (such as sports and higher education) serve as instruments to promote the country. Through these channels, Kazakhstan is portrayed as an open, dynamic and successful country, an image which is in serious disjuncture with the authoritarian nature of the regime. Taking advantage of massive oil revenues, the government organized a significant OSCE general conference in 2010, while chairing the institution. In addition, it created the Astana professional cycling team, which rapidly became a world leader in the sport. Last but not least, Nazarbayev University, attracting prominent Western scholars, is now designed to make the country compete in the international arena of academic rankings. Domestic and international performances are thus treated as instruments to promote the legitimacy of the state at national and global levels. But this would not be possible without the help of individual actors who actively participate in this process. A close investigation shows that their social capital is based on global connections in various spheres (sports, finance and academia). This paper draws on evidence gathered through qualitative methods of enquiry (participant observation and semi-structured interviews). Finally, Astana is treated as a Latourian actor-network that has its own life and agency, thanks to the global association of various human actors and material objects.

Kazakh Russian Cooperation as the Core of Eurasian Integration: A Comparative Study of Bilateral Relations between the Russian Federation and the Post-Soviet Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan

Current paper is a study of a unique link tying Russia and Kazakhstan, particularly, its resistant, yet flexible nature in developing amicable relations and a thriving economic exchange with Russia, which has not been achieved by any other post-Soviet state. The study finds that the overall success of the foreign policy has been driven by Kazakhstan’s endowments in energy, industrial, and security sectors, leveraged by canny leadership of its elite. The chosen method is a comparative analysis of Russia's relations with Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan via a study of historical links, role of political elites, international agreements, state visits, and trade.

The Law on Special Social Services: a case study of policy translation in post-Soviet Kazakhstan

Concerned with the question of how transnational policy ideas settle in the post-Soviet welfare context, this paper examines the introduction and institutionalization of social services for families and children in Kazakhstan as a case of policy translation. Social services as an institution were absent from the Soviet welfare system. Among multiple institutions introduced in Kazakhstan over the past 20 years, the Law on Special Social Services (2008) stands out as it indicates a paradigmatic change in the institutional logic of child welfare provision. The Law resulted from the concerted efforts of the Kazakhstani government agency, domestic nongovernmental organizations, and transnational organizations. A closer look at the process of drafting and adopting this Law offers insights into post-Soviet transnational social policy, in particular, the following three dimensions: the interplay between agency and the institutional environment, the distinct roles and interdependency of policy actors, and the plac...

Regime-building, identity-making and foreign policy: neo-Eurasianist rhetoric in post-Soviet Kazakhstan

This article illustrates the evolution experienced by the identity-making strategies pursued through the propagandistic exploitation of Kazakhstani foreign policy. Periodical readjustments in the focus of foreign policy rhetoric led the Kazakhstani regime to reshape the identity of the population, in order to promote forms of self-perception almost exclusively associable with the leadership that ruled the country in the post-Soviet era. Identity-making, in this context, became a crucial link in (and a key driver for) the progressive subjugation of foreign policy rhetoric to the logic of regime-building, intended here as the ensemble of concerted efforts aimed to increase the population's compliance with the leaderships' authoritarian outlooks.

Non-State Health Care Provision in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan: Is Politicisation a Model?

Drawing on comparisons with cooperative and competitive non-state health care provision around the world, this article analyses non-state provision of health services in post-Soviet Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. It explores the conditions in which non-state provisions remain cooperative or become politicised and contrasts the relations between NGOs and the state in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan and the way they became politicised in the Middle East. In contrast to Western conceptions of NGOs, Central Asia's health NGOs cooperate with state agencies to serve their constituencies. In contrast to the perceptions of Central Asian governments, health-oriented NGOs do not aim to politicise health care. Donor support to Central Asia's health NGOs has created civically oriented actors that fill gaps in the state's capacity and enable governments to better serve their populations.