The Concept of Nationalizing States and Policies toward Russophone Minority in Kazakhstan and Latvia

Year 2025, Volume: 9 Issue: 1, 13 - 26

Deniz Dinç

https://doi.org/10.47478/lectio.1745805

Abstract

This article analyzes the challenges faced by Russian-speaking minorities in Kazakhstan and Latvia, focusing on nationalizing state policies implemented during their post-Soviet nation-building processes. Drawing on a qualitative comparative design, the study examines official documents, citizenship and language laws, census data, and international reports from 1991 to 2023, highlighting how state-driven identity projects shape minority rights and social cohesion. After the USSR's collapse, both nations sought to consolidate the political and cultural dominance of their titular groups, yet their approaches to language, citizenship, and minority integration differed markedly. Kazakhstan adopted a more inclusive nation-building strategy, recognizing Russian as a widely spoken language and maintaining it as an interethnic communication tool. Russian speakers were integrated into political, educational, and administrative systems, fostering relatively stable interethnic relations. In contrast, Latvia pursued more exclusive policies, prioritizing the Latvian language and ethnicity. Restrictive citizenship laws left a significant portion of Russian speakers without citizenship, limiting their political participation and social integration. By situating these cases within debates on nationalizing states and employing a comparative framework, the article elucidates why authoritarian regimes like Kazakhstan's may, paradoxically, allow more inclusive minority policies than democratic systems like Latvia's. These findings contribute to broader comparative discussions on nation-building, democracy, and the long-term implications of post-Soviet ethnic governance.

Keywords

nationalizing states , nation-building , Russian speaking minorities , Kazakhstan , Latvia

Ethical Statement

No ethical approval was necessary for this research, since it did not involve human subjects, animal experiments, or any procedures requiring institutional review.

Thanks

This research was developed during my period as a visiting scholar at the Davis Center, Harvard University. I extend my sincere thanks to the academics who provided invaluable comments and feedback during the workshops held at the Davis Center, which greatly enhanced the evolution of this article.

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