The Construction of Citizenship in Kazakhstan Between the Soviet Era and Globalization

Abstract

From the Soviet era to the present day, conceptions of Kazakh citizenship have undergone continuous transformations, notably due to changes in political regimes, shifts in the demographic composition, and economic fluctuations. Despite its tumultuous history, Kazakhstan has managed to forge a flexible approach to citizenship and relatively peaceful relationships between the county’s different ethnic groups. In today’s post-independence nationhood, Kazakhstan may represent a unique case of citizenship building in the context of globalization. The first part of this chapter addresses the ambiguities concerning conceptions of citizenship during the Soviet era, which were marked not only by deportations, evacuations, voluntary and involuntary migrations but also by a rhetoric that depicted Kazakhstan as the ‘Promised Land’ benefiting from the Soviet Union’s friendship. The second part analyzes citizenship building following the county’s independence in 1991 that could be described as a subtle blend of Soviet heritage and renewed Kazakh national identity. The third part will focus on the transformations driven by the country’s economic globalization and new migratory flows. Finally, the fourth part suggests that Kazakhstan’s trilingual policy may open up new prospects for global citizenship education (GCE).