Graduate School of Public Policy

NU GSPP Associate Professor Aziz Burkhanov participated in the 31st session of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan (APK) titled “Unity of the people is the basis of a renewed Kazakhstan”. The session on the eve of the Day of Unity of the People of Kazakhstan with the participation of the Head of State.

The Head of State stressed that Kazakhstan has embarked on the path of decisive reforms in all spheres of life. In this regard, amendments to the Constitution have been initiated, which are of a fundamental nature and fundamentally change the political system of the country.

The President once again pointed out that the New Kazakhstan – in fact, a Just Kazakhstan – the way to strengthen our national identity in a dynamically changing world. He also focused on the formation of a culture of dialog and the strengthening of mutual understanding and trust in society.

The President called for a tough suppression of any manifestations of intolerance and division into “us and them”. The Head of State is convinced that the people of Kazakhstan must preserve and strengthen their unity; only through our joint efforts can we build a New Kazakhstan.

Dr.Burkhanov’s research interests include nationalism and identity theories, and national identity politics, policies, and practices, with a special focus on identity issues and their perceptions in the public narratives in the former Soviet area. He has authored “Kazakhstan’s National Identity-Building Policy: Soviet Legacy, State Efforts, and Societal Reactions,” Cornell International Law Journal (2017), “The Determinants of Civic and Ethnic Nationalisms in Kazakhstan: Evidence from the Grass-Roots Level” Nationalism and Ethnic Politics (2017); and “Kazakh Perspective on China, the Chinese, and Chinese Migration,” Ethnic and Racial Studies (2016); among others.