The Soviet legacy and the future of language politics in post-Soviet Kazakhstan
Document type: article
Download file(s):
457298 (721 KB)
Abstract:
After becoming its own nation-state in 1991 for the first time in history, Kazakhstan has been facing major challenges on its path to nation-building. Amidst economic difficulties caused by the shift from communist command economy to a free market system, the country had to unite its multiethnic society with no prior memory of nationhood into a coherent nation. As a result of the extensive Soviet language and identity politics, it was the only republic in the USSR to have the biggest share of its titular Kazakh population speaking Russian to the extent of not knowing their own- Kazakh language. Nonetheless, the country chose nationalism in a form of language revival as means of building a nation whilst developing its economy. The article traces the process of development and its relation to language revival and nationalism in Kazakhstan pointing out the shortcomings of language policy implementation and the future prospects for Kazakh language.
Note:
ISBN 978-88-7778-133-8
Authors:
Ramazanova, D.
Country:
Kazakhstan
Category:
General
End Page:
30
Serial number:
2
ISSN:
2210-2175
Volume:
II
Journal:
Spanda Journal : Indigenous Culture & Development
Keywords:
civil society
,
culture
,
democratisation
,
economic development
Language:
eng
Organization:
Spanda Foundation
Year:
2011
Region:
Central Asia
Right:
© 2011 Spanda Foundation
Subject:
Social and Political Change
Start Page:
18
Title:
The Soviet legacy and the future of language politics in post-Soviet Kazakhstan