Abstract:

The research explores how the notion of Eurasianism, as utilized by Nursultan Nazarbayev's government (1990s-2010s), served to shape Kazakhstan’s national identity and enhance his regime’s legitimacy. Initially a geographic and geopolitical notion, Eurasianism was incorporated into official nation-building discourse, serving as a marker of national identity and a framework for international policy. It reflects Kazakhstan's unique geographic and cultural position and supports the regime's efforts to maintain stability and continuity under Nazarbayev’s leadership.

A critical discourse analysis of government documents, official statements, and Nazarbayev’s publications, collected during 2014 and 2018 as part of my doctoral project, reveals that nation-building in Kazakhstan inherently involves regime-building. Eurasianism has been employed to protect Nazarbayev's image as the primary political leader and theorist of ‘new Eurasianism,’ promoting a multi-ethnic nation and regional economic integration, rooted in his persona.

Despite geographic debates, Kazakhstan positions itself as the "heart of Eurasia" and a "bridge" between East and West, central to its nation-branding and identity formation. This redefinition from a Central Asian to a Eurasian state aligns with nation-branding objectives, emphasizing cooperation among Eurasian nations, and Kazakhstan’s geographic centrality between Europe and Asia and the nexus among Slavic and Turkic peoples and China. This centrality underpins the government's narrative of a multi-ethnic civic Kazakhstani nation-state, symbolically representing the country’s ethnic diversity while promoting Kazakh identity revival.

The research demonstrates that by referencing Gumilyov, Nazarbayev’s regime promoted his central role, presenting him as both an intellectual and a statesman. Internationally, Eurasianism has represented Kazakhstan as an independent nation-state, managing foreign policy relations with its neighbours and the West. Constantly, it has legitimized Nazarbayev’s rule, portraying him as a sophisticated leader with international acumen. These initiatives created by and for the elite, aimed to legitimize the regime domestically and internationally.