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- Convenor:
-
Altynay Mambetova
(Kenzhegali Sagadiyev University of International Business)
Send message to Convenor
- Chair:
-
Nygmet Ibadildin
(KIMEP University)
- Discussants:
-
Islam Ishmukhametov
(Kimep University)
Didar Kassymova (Ch. Valikhanov institute of history and ethnology)
Gulnara Dadabayeva (KIMEP University)
- Format:
- Panel
- Theme:
- Political Science, International Relations, and Law
- Location:
- 702 (Floor 7)
- Sessions:
- Saturday 8 June, -
Time zone: Asia/Almaty
Abstract:
The panel will explore various aspects of Kazakhstan’s membership in the USSR and its implications for independent Kazakhstan.
First, the role of Kazakhstan in Soviet foreign policy and its Soviet legacy will be discussed. Kazakhstan as one of the union Soviet republics was employed by the USSR regime to fulfill different objectives. For Kazakhstan participation in the Soviet foreign policy agenda had a number of positive moments that became a valuable asset and experience after gaining independence in 1991. The discussions would explore the cases of Kazakhstan’s representation in the Soviet Union cultural organized events in France, Austria and Denmark through the soft power theory implications.
Secondly, the role of language in the USSR and its implications for independent Kazakhstan today, especially in the light of the war in Ukraine. In many cases language policies were essential for the stability of empires. These language policies shaped the world and it can be observed even today. The statistics speak for themselves: English, Russian, Spanish and French are among ten most spoken languages in the world and fall within UN official languages, which reflects the colonization legacy and power relations.
Another important aspect is self-identification. In the 1980s Kazakh self-identification considerably rose, following the popularization of the Kazakh language and increasing ethnic nationalism within the Soviet republic. It is considered that the soviet leader of the republic from 1964 to 1986 Dinmukhamed Kunaev had played an important role in strengthening the nation's self-identification of Kazakhs, despite of cautions of Moscow. The panel will discover the rise of Kazakh self-identification within the given period and estimate the contribution of Kunaev and explore how such a rise of nationalism was possible in such a centric and totalitarian regime as the Soviet Union.
Lastly, the history of deportations in 1930-40s in the Soviet Union will be covered. In the presentation, based on the author’s archival research, these tragic events are to be shown with a special focus on the adaptation practices of the people who were suddenly deprived of their rights, property, houses and very often of professional activities. Some sensitive issues will also be touched upon dealing with how regime forced citizens to be ranked as second-class citizens and how the receiving communities interacted with them.
Considering the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the role of Russia today and the USSR needs to be revisited and reconsidered, which makes these topics timely and relevant.
Accepted papers:
Session 1 Saturday 8 June, 2024, -Abstract:
Kazakhstan used to be a part of the Soviet Union and Russian Empire, within a long period of almost 300 years, Kazakhstan was not an independent entity. Apparently, within the period of the Soviet Union the ethnical Kazakh language, traditions, and culture were not developing appropriately, or even openly repressed. For example, the “lingua franca” of the Soviet Union – the Russian language had taken a dominant position in the Soviet Republic of Kazakhstan, being the main language of science and literature. However, in the 1980s Kazakh self-identification considerably raised, following the popularization of the Kazakh language and increasing ethnic nationalism within the Soviet republic. It is considered that the soviet leader of the republic from 1964 – to 1986 - Dinmukhamed Kunaev, an ethnical Kazakh, had played an important role in strengthening the nation's self-identification of Kazakhs, despite of cautions of Moscow. This paper will discover the rise of Kazakh self-identification within the given period and estimate the contribution of Dinmukhamed Kunaev, as well as explore how such a rise of nationalism was possible in such a centric and totalitarian regime as the Soviet Union.
Abstract:
The history of deportations is closely connected with the problems of population movement in the Soviet Union. In the presentation, based on the author’s archival research, these tragic events are to be shown with a special focus on the adaptation practices of the people who were suddenly deprived of their rights, property, houses and very often of professional activities. Some sensitive issues will also be touched upon dealing with how regime forced citizens to be ranked as second-class citizens and how the receiving communities interacted with them.
The process of adaptation of the deported people, particularly Germans and Poles, to new inimical environment, and emergence of new practices of survival and even success is studied through the lens of migration detention theory. Expelling of unwanted people could ease the labor deficits in those industries where the Soviet administration faced troubles due to a severe shortage of labor force. It became a new practice to delegitimize victims of deportation into second-class citizens – main source of cheap labor to promote and successfully realize goals of Soviet modernization. Thus, a crucial part of the deportation campaign was dictated by economic needs of the state. Historical memory of the deported groups mirrored in the archival documents, contains information concerning the most difficult periods of their work in different industries of Kazakhstan as well as in other Central Asian republics.
The attitudes towards deported peoples could be best studied within the framework of the national values theory that focuses on “whether the admission of migrants promotes fundamental values of the country” (K. Johnson Theories of Immigration Law // Arizona State Law Journal 2015: 1211). In the case of Soviet deportations of 1930-40s this idea might be applied to explore the policies of the Soviet leadership aimed at bringing the new values into isolated and desperate communities of the deported people. It will be shown in the presentation how they have got integrated into local society to follow the rules and values imposed by the latter.
Abstract:
Kazakhstan now has one state language, which is the Kazakh language. However, before its independence Kazakhstan was part of the Soviet Union, where the Russian language was an official language. According to the census conducted in 2021, 80% of Kazakhstan’s population knows the Kazakh language but at the same time, only 49% of Kazakhstan’s population uses it in daily life. Nevertheless, the Russian war in Ukraine might have an impact on the Kazakh language policies. This paper will argue that the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine plays an important role in the changes in the Kazakh language policies. The content-analysis technique will be employed and includes the monitoring of Kazakhstan legislation, Kazakhstan mass media and statements from Kazakhstan’s government officials.