Kazakhstan has been shaken by a rapidly unfolding series of dramatic and tragic events since protests began in early January. While it is still not clear what happened and who is to blame for the violence, death, and destruction, new realities—political, economic, and social—are taking shape. President Tokayev is promising to build a “New Kazakhstan,” cleansed of systemic corruption and based on a new social contract. The people of the country are responding with a mix of hope, suspicion, and skepticism. This roundtable will discuss ongoing developments in the areas of human rights and rule of law, changes in the political scene, and the outline and prospects of socio-economic reforms.
