Mapping Kazakhstan’s geopolitical code: an analysis of Nazarbayev’s presidential addresses, 1997–2014

Kazakhstan sits at the crossroads of Eurasia. Its foreign policy is heavily defined by geopolitics – the intersection of geography and international politics. However, there have been few studies that have systematically analyzed the rhetoric used to define its geopolitical condition. Building upon prior works on United States and Russian presidential addresses, this article examines 18 presidential addresses by Kazakhstan's president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, in an effort to identify the assumptions and content of his "geopolitical code." In particular, it focuses on four issues: the degree of emphasis Nazarbayev has placed on specific countries and regions, Kazakhstan's geopolitical situation and position, the multi-vector foreign policy and Kazakhstan's role in the international system, and the need for Kazakhstan to be integrated into the global economy.