On the Issue of Nation-Building Projects of the Kazakh Political Elite on the Eve of and During the National-Territorial Demarcation of 1924: Projects of the “Turkic Republic” and the “Central Asian Federation”
Analysis reveals attempts at nation-building in Kazakhstan through projects like the Turkic Republic, suggesting central control stifled ethnic initiatives.
Key Points
None of the proposed nation-building projects achieved implementation despite support from the Kazakh political elite, during a critical period of ethnic consolidation.
Key figures advocated for unifying Turkic peoples, with specific proposals like the Turkic Republic and the Central Asian Federation highlighted in ethnopolitical discourse.
The article employs qualitative analysis of historical projects and political dynamics among ethnic elites in early 20th century Kazakhstan.
The findings suggest that Bolshevik governance reshaped national identities, resulting in Soviet-managed republics that sidelined ethnic aspirations.