On the Russian-Speaking Population in Kazakhstan: Between Inclusion and Exclusion
- Arman Kassymbayev ,
- Gulnar Nassimova
, - Damira Sikhimbayeva
Abstract
This article explores the relationship between language practices and social exclusion within Kazakhstan's multilingual landscape. The empirical material of the study is based on a representative sociological survey conducted in 2021 in Kazakhstan. The respondents were divided into three groups: Kazakh-speaking, Russian-speaking and bilinguals. This division allowed to examine how language proficiency influences perceptions of social integration, trust levels, and social inclusion. The χ²-test was employed for data analysis, enabling to assess the significance of differences between the language groups. In addition, qualitative materials from focus group discussions conducted in several regions of Kazakhstan were used to contextualise and interpret the results. The study's findings indicate that the Kazakh-speaking group is characterised by high level of optimism, life satisfaction, and confidence in personal and political efficacy. By contrast, the Russian-speaking group experiences anxiety, dissatisfaction, and scepticism towards government institutions, pointing to a symbolic sense of social exclusion. Bilinguals occupy a middle ground between the two language groups, combining emotional ambivalence with a high level of adaptability and potential for social mobility. The data confirm that language is not only a means of communication, but also a form of symbolic capital that defines access to social recognition and participation in society.
Keywords
social exclusion, language policy, bilingualism, Kazakhstan, symbolic capital, integration
Author Biography
Arman Kassymbayev
Arman Kassymbayev is a PhD candidate and Senior Lecturer in the Department of Political Science and Political Technologies at the Faculty of Philosophy and Political Science, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan. His research interests include language policy, and social exclusion with a focus on contemporary social change and everyday interactions.
Gulnar Nassimova
Gulnar Nassimova is a Professor and Head of the Department of Political Science at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Kazakhstan. Her research focuses on political conflict, social and political stability, and electoral participation, with a particular emphasis on post-Soviet societies and political processes in Kazakhstan.
Damira Sikhimbayeva
Damira Sikhimbayeva, PhD, Senior Researcher at Institute of Philosophy, Political Science and Religious Studies, Almaty, Kazakhstan. Fulbright Visiting Scholar (2017–2018). Her research interests focus on nation-building, nationalism, Islam and nationalism, national and religious identity, language and interethnic relations. Her recent work on these topics has been published in Central Asian Survey.