Nation Branding: An Instrument of Soft Power or Nation-Building? The Case of Kazakhstan

Abstract

Nation branding is a process by which countries seek to create an attractive image and manipulate its external perception. The process of branding a nation involves a broad array of activities from an advertisement on TV and journals to much more extensive public diplomacy initiatives. In effect, since it deals with international positioning and perception of a state, nation branding is often referred to as an effective soft power building tool. At the same time, however, nation is a complex political and social construct that can hardly be branded as a usual commercial product. Indeed, nation branding is inherently intertwined with the political discourses within the state, and in the case of Kazakhstan, the enthusiastically implemented branding initiatives took place in the backdrop of the post-Soviet nation-building efforts of the government. In this thesis, I have critically examined Kazakhstan’s nation branding efforts mainly controlled and implemented by the government. This has been done by analyzing the content of the official documents as well as interviewing civil servants, experts, and individuals that have been directly engaged in the branding processes. In doing so, I argue that nation branding in the context of Kazakhstan serves as both a soft power-enhancing and nation-building tool of the state. By depicting Kazakhstan as a progressively developing, forward-looking and peaceful country with a rich history, the state elites seek to position the country as a legitimate international player. But also, such an image is fully consistent with the internal state narrative on nation-building thus allowing the state elites to reproduce and consolidate their vision of the nation and path of its development.