Tourism, Memory Production and Contested Ethnic Hierarchies in Post-Soviet Almaty

Abstract

Memory politics in post-Soviet cities is a growing area of research with significant political implications. However, there is still relatively little consideration of memory production in the sphere of tourism, particularly when it comes to the analysis of memory practices beyond official city branding. Focusing on the case of Almaty, Kazakhstan’s former capital, this article puts forward a multi-actor analysis of memory-making in city branding, highlighting the frictions between the identity projects promoted by city authorities and private entrepreneurs. We show how tourism has become an important battlefield for the negotiation of ethnic hierarchies in the city.