CREATIVE INDUSTRIES AS A FACTOR OF POLITICAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN

Abstract

The article presents a comprehensive political science analysis of the formation and development of creative industries in the Republic of Kazakhstan during the period from 2019 to 2025. In contrast to the prevailing economic determinism, authors focuse on the political and social dimensions of the “creative turn.” The purpose of the study is to analyze the theoretical foundations of the concept of “creative industries” and to determine how the development of the creative sector can contribute to Kazakhstan’s political and social development. The research is based on a synthesis of the neo-institutionalist approach, modernization theory, and the concept of soft power.

An analysis of empirical data, regulatory and legal acts, and official discourse demonstrates that the development of creative industries in Kazakhstan functions not only as a tool for economic diversification but also as a strategy for shaping a new national identity (“Zhana Kazakhstan”), a mechanism of youth political socialization, and a means of legitimizing political authority during a transitional period.

Particular attention is paid to the contradictions between the liberal nature of creativity and attempts at state governance in the sphere of cultural production, as well as to regional disparities which, in turn, may lead to social fragmentation.