Russia's Relations with Kazakhstan: Rethinking Ex-Soviet Transitions in the Emerging World System(Routledge Advances in International Relations and Global Politics)

Recent political developments in post-Soviet countries have raised novel issues regarding the stability of the post-Cold War world order. A new direction in policy has been exemplified by the recent bolstering of a number of post-Soviet political and economic institutions - such as CSTO, SCO and the Eurasian Economic Union - in which the role of Kazakhstan is considerable. In addition to its unique geopolitical location, Kazakhstan’s importance in regional integration structures and international relations more broadly is reinforced by its rich oil and uranium deposits. This book centres on an exploration of the changing relations between Russia and Kazakhstan and their impact on post-Soviet interactions with the rest of the world. The role of specific factors in the formation of the post-Soviet regional system will be explored in historical perspective. The multifaceted relations between Kazakhstan and Russia from 1991 to the contemporary period will be analysed in terms of relations in several spheres: political, military and security, Kazakhstan’s nuclear withdrawal, ethnicity and national identity, economic, foreign policies, regionalism and international trends and the impact of historic trends. An important analysis of Kazakhstan, the second largest country in the post-Soviet world, this book is of interest to researchers of International Relations, Post-Soviet Studies and Central Asia Studies.

Table of Contents:
1. Introduction: Central Asia: Great Game or Graveyard? 2. Rethinking the stages of Russia-Kazakhstan relations 3. Historical foundations and political significance of security and migration trends in Russia-Kazakhstan relations 4. Stage 1.1991–1994: Strategic military arsenal and - the ‘fifth column’? 5. Stage 2.1995–1999: Economic interests and state-building 6. Stage 3.2000–2004: Increased security concerns and the thaw in the bilateral relationship 7. Stage 4. 2005–2012. Intensification of bilateral cooperation 8. Stage 5. 2013-2015 Bilateral relations in the era of new international challenges and controversies 9. Conclusion: W(h)ither regionalism in a new international system?

About the Author :
Yelena Nikolayevna Zabortseva is Lecturer and Researcher in the Department of Government and International Relations at Sydney University, Australia.

Review :
"Russia's Relations with Kazakhstan offers a comprehensive analysis of the promise and peril underlying this complex relationship. This study is a major contribution to the sparse literature on international relations in the post-Soviet space, providing a detailed, nuanced approach that will be indispensable to students of the region. Zabortseva's work makes clear that the connections between Moscow and Astana will be key to the future of both states, and vital to the stability of the whole of Central Eurasia." Reuel R. Hanks, Oklahoma State University, USA "Yelena Zabortseva has produced a timely study of a major aspect of the international politics of what is likely to become an increasingly important part of the world. Her nuanced, theoretically grounded analysis of Russo-Kazakh relations should be read not only by all who are interested in the new 'great game' in Central Asia, but by those interested in the future course of international geopolitics more generally. This is a fine achievement from a promising young scholar." Graeme Gill, University of Sydney, Australia "This book provides a new perspective of one of Eurasia's most critical relationships. The introductory overviews and examples of Russia's foreign policy toward Kazakhstan will be useful for undergraduate and postgraduate students alike." Sally Nikoline Cummings, University of St Andrews, UK