Cultural policies of Kazakhstan within the framework of postcolonial theory

Kazakhstan, which gained its independence with the collapse of the Soviet Union, started the process of identity construction. In the process of strengthening its independence and building a national identity, it tried destroying the cultural influences left by the colonial period, and this process continues. Reviving the cultural values and rewriting the national history, which has been started in 2000, has become one of the important issues. Accordingly, the sources related to Kazakh history produced in the Soviet period are revising. It is claimed that the past of the Kazakh people is based on deep-rooted states and civilizations, such as Saks, Huns, Gokturks, and Golden Horde. Kazakh culture and identity, which was forced to be forgotten during the period under the influence of tsarist Russia and the Soviet Union, began to be restored after independence. In this study, post-independence Kazakhstan's cultural policies are examined within the framework of postcolonial theory. It is seen that the cultural decolonization process in Kazakhstan occurred in an evolutionary rather than revolutionary way. The decolonization process performed by peaceful means continues without otherizing any ethnic group living on the territory of Kazakhstan. In the study, the policies implemented by tsarist Russia and the USSR in Kazakhstan were evaluated within the framework of postcolonial theory. Also, the national struggle of Kazakh intellectuals, who emerged in the 20th century, against the colonial policies of tsarist Russia was examined.