Kazakhstan’s Post-Soviet Transformation: Nation-Building, Identity Formation, and Foreign Policy Evolution
Thursday, February 27, 2025
12:30-1:30 PM
Buchanan Tower, Room 997, 1873 East Mall, UBC Vancouver
Or register to attend over Zoom
Since gaining independence in 1991, Kazakhstan has undergone a complex process of national identity revival, balancing its historical legacies, ethnic diversity, and geopolitical positioning. This lecture explores the key dimensions of Kazakhstan’s post-Soviet development, focusing on the revival of national identity, society developments and the country’s strategic navigation between major global and regional powers – Russia, China, Turkey, and the West.
Kazakhstan’s foreign policy is defined by a multi-vector approach, carefully balancing its economic partnerships and integration into global markets while navigating historical power dynamics. The country’s economic capacity is shaped by its engagements with China’s Belt and Road Initiative, the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union, and trade with the European Union – each of which carries an imperialistic legacy that influences Kazakhstan’s position and agency within these frameworks. While these economic ties offer opportunities for growth, investment, and regional connectivity, they also present geopolitical constraints and structural dependencies, requiring Kazakhstan to maintain strategic flexibility in safeguarding its sovereignty and long-term development.
Speaker Bio:
Renata Faizova is an expert in international politics, specializing in Central Asia and Eurasian energy transition. With a diverse professional background spanning academia and the corporate energy sector, she has worked in Kazakhstan, Turkey, Russia. Currently, as a Visiting Scholar at the University of British Columbia’s CENES Department, Dr. Faizova’s research focuses on energy transition and climate governance.