Postcolonial politics in post-Soviet countries (Central Asia and Kazakhstan)

Despite formal decolonization, the logic of colonialism continues to influence not only major geopolitical processes but also various aspects of daily life. Empires have not only colonized territories and populations physically but have also dominated intellectual spaces. The colonial impact of the Russian/Soviet Empire has long remained understudied, causing the voices from this region to be marginalized within global postcolonial discourse. This article examines the specific features of postcolonial politics in the post-Soviet space, with a particular focus on Central Asia and Kazakhstan. The study analyzes the colonial legacy, the use of ethnic conflicts as an imperial tool, identity crises following the collapse of the USSR, and the forms of postcolonial dependency that persist today.