Language Policy of Kazakhstan

One of the most persistent Soviet legacies has been the promotion of the Russian language at the expense of other languages. This work evaluates the language poliy of Kazakhstan from Soviet times to its current implementation. For this purpose it provides a historical background and follows the development and impact of the Soviet and Kazakhstani policies, the challenges of the early independence and the conditions in which the language policy formulation began. It looks at the examples of Baltic States, Ukraine and Finland and their language policies in order to determine the aspects that might be applicable to Kazakhstan. Based on the information and analysis, it provides recommendations on encouraging the learning of Kazakh and avoiding potential conflict.

Autorentext

Ainur Kulzhanova is a graduate of Central European University with a Master of Arts in Public Policy degree. Her main research interests are language policy, inter-ethnic relations and national identity in the former Soviet countries.