Russkiy Mir discourse: a comparative analysis of Ukraine and Kazakhstan

Abstract

This thesis analyses how Ukraine and Kazakhstan are imagined within Russkiy Mir discourse and attempts to answer the question how and why Ukraine and Kazakhstan are imagined differently. As Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has illustrated, the Russian narrative does have implications for the post-Soviet space. This thesis seeks to answer the question how and why Ukraine and Kazakhstan are imagined differently within Russkiy Mir discourse through a critical discourse analysis and by using the theoretical framework of critical geopolitics. Ukraine is imagined as being at the core of the Russkiy Mir and therefore being Russian in essence. Kazakhstan, on the other hand, is imagined as belonging to the Russkiy Mir because it owes its existence to the Russians and Soviets. The findings of these thesis foster a better understanding of Russian post-imperial discourse and consequence foreign policy in the post-Soviet space.