Rut or Renaissance? The aftermath of Kazakhstan’s most violent riots yet  

Kazakhstan, with a population of only 20 million, has had a relatively uneventful recent history. Up until the riots in 2022 that ousted the president in power since its independence 30 years ago. Initially the product of pent-up frustration with the ineffective government, the demonstrations shook the young nation to the core and redefined Kazakh identity for the population.