Religious Security in the Post-Soviet Space: The Evolution and Socio-Political and Legal Consequences of Religious Extremism in Kazakhstan

Authors

• Zharas Akhan PhD, Astana International UniversityFollow

Author ORCID Identifier

http://orcid.org/0009-0006-3051-9382

Abstract

Examination of the processes of emergence, institutionalization, and development of religious extremism in post-Soviet Kazakhstan. Utilizing historical-comparative and institutional methodologies, the study analyzes the socio-political and economic factors that have contributed to the spread of radical religious ideologies from the 1990s to the present. The development of religious extremism in Kazakhstan is categorized into three chronological stages: the latent formative period (1991–1998), the stage of institutional adaptation and prevention (1999–2010), and the phase of transition to terrorist methods (2011–present). The research findings demonstrate that religious extremism in Kazakhstan has evolved from a perceived external threat into a complex internal security challenge, underscoring the critical importance of state policies that integrate secular governance, legal regulation, and the promotion of traditional spiritual values.

Recommended Citation

Akhan, Zharas PhD (2026) "Religious Security in the Post-Soviet Space: The Evolution and Socio-Political and Legal Consequences of Religious Extremism in Kazakhstan," Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe: Vol. 46 : Iss. 9 , Article 12.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55221/2693-2229.2910
Available at: https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/ree/vol46/iss9/12