Abstract:
Since gaining its independence in 1991, Kazakhstan has sought to balance
its foreign policy toward those of the superpowers and regional powers. This
study conducts a literature review and analyses the soft power strategies
of superpowers and regional powers toward Kazakhstan, and the country’s
endeavors to avoid being dominated by a single country to maintain a balanced
relationship with all the great powers. The data is collected through qualitative
interviews with Kazakhstan o cials who have lower- and middle-level executive
experience in security organizations. Overall, pragmatic relations with all foreign
actors are deeply engrained in the mindset of Kazakhstan’s middle-management
o cials, which indicates the development of balanced reports for higher
decision-makers, leading to balanced relations with other powers.
