CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2025
| Author | Viktoriya Zdorovilova |
|---|---|
| Title | On The Service Of The State: Kenesary Khan As The National Hero In Contemporary Kazakhstan |
| Summary | This research investigates the case of Khan Kenesary (1802-1847) as a national hero in contemporary Kazakhstani schools and media discourses. In this research, I regard his figure as a reflection of the nation-building policy in post-Soviet Kazakhstan. Khan Kenesary raised the rebellion against the Russian Empire, Kokan Khanate and Kyrgyz elites in 1837-1847. He was the last Khan, who was able to unite and restore the Kazakh Khanate, which was partially colonized by the Russian Empire and partially controlled by Kokand Khanate and Kyrgyz elites at that time. In my analysis, I contend that the narrative surrounding Khan Kenesary has been banalized and plays a significant role in the nation-building process of Kazakhstan. This narrative serves as a reflection of the model of nation-building designed to accommodate the country's multi-ethnic, multilingual, and multireligious composition. The Critical Discourse Analysis applied in this study has uncovered recurring patterns in the portrayal of Khan Kenesary, which underscore this even further. Additionally, the media discourse dedicated to Khan Kenesary’s skull, purportedly located somewhere in Russia, was examined and discussed. The arguments and discourse relating to the return of the skull back to Kazakhstan enrich the analysis and demonstrate the postcolonial struggle. Overall, this research contributes to nationalism studies, the use of historical figures as national heroes both in the media and school history textbooks on the post-Soviet space in the example of Kazakhstan. |
| Supervisor | Stewart Michael, Sarkisova Oksana |
| Department | Nationalism Studies MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2025/zdorovilova_viktoriy.pdf |
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