COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF LANGUAGE POLICIES IN FORMER SOVIET STATES: REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN AND UKRAINE

Abstract

Language policy focuses on launching a deliberate change in the official or minority language of the country. It also acts as an instrument that manipulates economic rejuvenation, political stabilization, educational reform and ideals of equality. This field is exceptionally interesting for research in the former Soviet Union republics.

During the Soviet era these republics experienced a 70 year long Russification policy but, since the demise of the USSR, have often established nationalistic language policies. A comparative analysis of language policies was conducted in ex Soviet states, Kazakhstan and Ukraine. Effects of Kazakh bilingual and Ukrainian monolingual policies were examined in the spheres of public sector, education, population distribution and economic development. The ways in which the language policies are related to earlier Soviet policy may influence the current nation building of both countries.