Discourses of a New Kazakhstan: an analysis of Kazakhstani Russian language media

Abstract

In January 2022, Kazakhstan experienced the deadliest unrest since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in direct response to a raise in fuel prices, but which were also the result of deeper and longstanding social discontent. In response, president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced the construction of a ‘New Kazakhstan’, promising reform and change. Existing research has only superficially examined or mentioned the paradigm of a New Kazakhstan. In extension of research on the events, causes and state framings of Black January, as well as research on previous Kazakh (state)-identity discourses, this thesis examines ‘New Kazakhstan’ explicitly from a discursive perspective in Russian language media in Kazakhstan, building on concepts from Critical Discourse Analysis. Through an analysis of 46 articles in Kazakhstanskaya Pravda, Vremya and Azattyq as cases of government-backed, quasi-independent and independent media respectively, I aimed to answer how New Kazakhstan and the promise of change is put forward, received and written about in Russian language media and to what extent these discourses challenge or reproduce dominant power relations. My analysis showed that whilst coverage about a New Kazakhstan in Vremya was critical in some respects, Azattyq went much further in challenging power relations than Vremya by questioning and criticizing New Kazakhstan in direct connection with Tokayev’s position and legitimacy.