Kazakhstan

In the near decade since the original publication of Kazakhstan: Unfulfilled Promise, the Kazakh Republic has faced major economic, social, and foreign policy upheavals, not least the impact of the 2008 global financial crisis. These developments warrant a re-examination of the statement posed in the title of the original book—whether thecountry’s promise has remained unfulfilled.


In this revised edition Kazakhstan: Unfulfilled Promise? Martha Brill Olcott, an internationally respected expert on Central Asia, details the first decades of Kazakhstan’s existence in the context of its political and historical legacy, its geography, and its economic and social development. In a new chapter, Olcott reevaluates whether Kazakhstan is closer to realizing its economic and political potential and charting the expansion of its international role. Olcott draws on her vast knowledge of Kazakhstan to provide an important contribution to understanding the current status of this country, as well as more broadly, the perils of state building and the dangers these pose for regional and global security.