Navigating complex narratives: understanding challenges of Russian-related research in Kazakhstan

ABSTRACT

The idea for this research note emerged in the aftermath of a survey that we conducted with Kazakhstani experts about their perceptions of the Western and Russian vectors in Kazakhstan’s foreign policy. We found that most of our respondents felt uncomfortable and tended to avoid answering questions related to Russia. In this research note, we seek to discuss and explore the challenges that Kazakhstani researchers experience while studying Russia. While doing so, we find that Kazakhstani academics are facing now what we call a wave of new-Sovietism from Russia that not only instils anxieties but also silences scholarly voices in Kazakhstan and beyond. We call for robust academic dialogue to foster understanding of issues faced by academics within and beyond the country. By highlighting these challenges, we aim to enrich discussions on studying Russia and emphasize the importance of safeguarding academic freedom and intellectual diversity in research.

KEYWORDS:

• Kazakhstan
• Russian studies
• new-Sovietism
• Central Asia
• propaganda

Acknowledgements

We thank Dr Jasmin Dall'Agnola for their in-depth reading of and useful comments on a draft of this research note.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

1 The survey was conducted among recognized, competent professionals with extensive knowledge and experience in the field of international relations, representing academia, as well as public and non-governmental sectors.

2 We would like to thank all respondents who participated in the open dialogue, choosing to remain anonymous.