Natural resource policies and standard of living in Kazakhstan

Sakal, Halil Burak

doi:10.1080/02634937.2014.987970

Cited by 12 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Newly-independent Kazakhstan would become (and remain) an authoritarian state, led by a relatively small circle of elites surrounding President Nazarbayev. These government elites have been able to position themselves as the legitimate agents of the state, thereby justifying their arbitration the country’s natural resource wealth – and in so doing, achieve extraordinary wealth through various extra-legal economic patronage practices (Junisbai, 2010; Kalyuzhnova et al, 2009; Koch, 2015a, 2018; Sakal, 2015). While ordinary people are well-aware of these elite machinations, they largely internalize the resource nationalist narrative that state-controlled companies should be the leaders in Kazakhstan’s extractive industries.…”

Section: Case Examplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Resource nationalism

Koch¹,

Perreault

2018

Progress in Human Geography

111

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Although ‘resources’ and ‘nationalism’ are core analytical categories in geography, the concept of ‘resource nationalism’ has received little attention in the discipline. We address this lacuna by reviewing relevant literature across the social sciences, and tracing key concepts and scalar frames to advance a critical approach to resource nationalism. In contrast to realist approaches, we understand it as a political discourse mobilized by a wide range of actors. Highlighting its multiple, co-existing, and often contradictory narratives about places, subjects, identities, and materialities, we illustrate the relevance of this critical framework with brief examples from Kazakhstan, Bolivia, and the USA.

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Section: Case Examplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Resource nationalism

Koch¹,

Perreault

2018

Progress in Human Geography

111

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“…While the Soviet-inspired attitude towards the environment looks irrational in the light of the current environmental agenda and 'green' political efforts, the 'Soviet legacy' here can be explained by the struggle with national identity (Sakal, 2015). As one of the experts mentioned, the country is still under recognized abroad, and it is difficult to explain what Kazakhstan is without referring to its Soviet past (interview 3).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Kazakhstan’s climate change policy: reflecting national strength, green economy aspirations and international agenda

Poberezhskaya

Bychkova

2021

Post-Communist Economies

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This article looks at how Kazakhstan's heavy dependence on fossil fuels and its political context shape national discourse on climate change. Based on extensive analysis of the country's strategic documents and expert interviews, we argue that although Kazakhstan's economy relies on fossil fuels, the government is keen to promote sustainable development to attract international investments and advance its image as a 'strong state' for the domestic audience, and as a progressive and reliable partner for the international audience. Whilst there is little evidence of 'post-colonial' rhetoric appearing in Kazakhstan's official climate change discourse, the state's past is evident in its instrumental approach to environmental issues which in turn translates into inconsistencies in its climate change policy.

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“…They point to the way oil wealth can create imbalances in the economy by letting other sectors dwindle, the way governments may become less dependent on taxation, thus less accountable and, as 'rentier-states', more able to buy off opposition. A monopoly of oil wealth may thus prop up authoritarian regimes and elites who do not necessarily allow the fabulous profits of the oil trade trickle down (Sakal 2014). A case has been made for Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan suffering from the 'resource curse' (Overland, Kjaernet, and Kendall-Taylor 2010;Najman, Pomfret and Raballand 2008).…”

Section: How Energy Shapes Individual and Collective Lifementioning

confidence: 96%

Mr Light and people's everyday energy struggles in Central Asia and the Caucasus: an introduction

Gullette

Croix

2014

Central Asian Survey

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The perception of Central Asia and its place in the world has come to be shaped by its large oil and gas reserves. Literature on energy in the region has thus largely focused on related geopolitical issues and national policies. However, little is known about citizens' needs within this broader context of commodities that connect the energy networks of China, Russia and the West. This multidisciplinary special issue brings together anthropologists, economists, geographers and political scientists to examine the role of all forms of energy (here: oil, gas, hydropower and solar power) and their products (especially electricity) in people's daily lives throughout Central Asia and the Caucasus. The papers in this issue ask how energy is understood as an everyday resource, as a necessity and a source of opportunity, a challenge or even as an indicator of exclusionary practices. We enquire into the role and views of energy sector workers, rural consumers and urban communities, and their experiences of energy companies' and national policies. We further examine the legacy of Soviet and more recent domestic energy policies, the environmental of energy use as well as the political impact of citizens' energy grievances.

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Natural resource policies and standard of living in Kazakhstan

Cited by 12 publications

References 20 publications

Resource nationalism

Resource nationalism

Kazakhstan’s climate change policy: reflecting national strength, green economy aspirations and international agenda

Mr Light and people's everyday energy struggles in Central Asia and the Caucasus: an introduction

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