Experiencing Liminality.Urban Identification, Renting, and Achieving Success among the Newcomers in Astana, Kazakhstan Dissertation zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades doctor philosophiae (Dr. phil.) eingereicht an der Kultur-, Sozial- und Bildungswissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin von MA Kishimjan Osmonova Präsident der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Prof. Dr. Jan-Hendrik Olbertz Dekanin der Kultur-, Sozial- und Bildungswissenschaftlichen Fakultät Prof. Dr. Julia von Blumenthal Gutachter: 1. Prof. Dr. Ingeborg Baldauf 2. Dr. Manja Stephan-Emmrich Tag der mündlichen Prüfung: 14.06.2016 Abstract: Kazakhstan, Astana, Migrants, Ethnography, City of the Future, Liminality The dissertation aims to answer the research question of what it means for various groups of individuals to live in Astana on a daily basis. As the new capital, Astana attracted a large number of internal migrants from various parts of Kazakhstan, who searched for better prospects and lives. Officially, the new capital is promoted by Kazakhstan’s government as “city of the future” and regards it as President Nazarbayev’s (1991-2019) most successful project. The dissertation offers an ethnographic contribution to urban experiences of migrants in Central Asia. The dissertation is divided into five main chapters. Chapter one offers an introduction to the theme and outlines major theoretical framework and the methodology on which the research is based. I apply the theory of the co-production of space (the social production and social construction of space) outlined by Setha Low to integrate the ‘spatial’ aspect as an integral part of my research. In addition, I employ the concept of liminality (Turner, 1967, Thomassen, 2014) as the central idea to analyze the stories of my informants. Within this framework, I argue that Astana’s unique urban space supports the emergence of liminal personae, liminal housing arrangements, lifestyles and career aspirations which are mutually connected and influence each other. Accordingly, the second chapter describes the newcomers who are defined as ‘priezzhie’ and occupy an in-between status. The third chapter looks at housing and focuses on renting in shared flats. The fourth chapter is about the dating experiences of young women. The last chapter is about achieving success and career aspirations of newcomers. In conclusion, I argue that liminality explains the temporary fixation of the ambiguous, conflicting, and unstable order which has emerged for many newcomers in Astana. Zusammenfassung: Kasachstan, Astana, Migranten, Ethnographie, City of the Future, Liminality Die folgende Dissertation beschäftigt sich mit dem Thema Stadtmigration in Astana (Kasachstan) und befasst sich mit der Forschungsfrage wie das Alltagsleben von Zugezogenen in der neuen Hauptstadt von Kasachstan aussieht. Mein Ziel war es, die verschiedenen Facetten des Alltagslebens und die daraus folgenden Herausforderungen zu untersuchen. Astana, seit 1997 die neue Hauptstadt von Kasachstan, wird oft das "Dubai Zentralasiens" genannt. Die kasachische Regierung wirbt für Astana als einen Grundpfeiler der neuen kasachischen nationalen Identität und als ein Symbol für das moderne, westliche, reiche neue Kasachstan. Die kasachischen Eliten feiern Astana als einen Triumph von Präsident Nazarbayev. Meine Forschung beruht darauf, dass ich vielfältige Selbsterzählungen von Kasachen sammelte, die nach Astana kamen um es zu "erobern". Damit leistet die Dissertation einen Beitrag zur urbanen Ethnographie in Zentralasien. Die Arbeit besteht aus fünf Hauptkapiteln. Kapitel eins umfasst die Einleitung und legt die theoretische und methodologische Grundlage der Arbeit fest. Der theoretische Ansatz von Setha Low „co-production of space“ (the social production and social construction of space) leitet die Forschungsfrage und der Begriff von Liminality (Turner 1967, Thomassen, 2014) wird als zentrales Grundkonzept die Analyse der Arbeit begleiten. Kapitel zwei beschreibt die Zugezogenen und definiert diese als priezzhie, die sich im Status von „in-between“ befinden. Kapitel drei beschreibt die Wohnsituation junger Zugezogener in Astana und Kapitel vier schildert das Single Leben von jungen Frauen. In den letzten Kapiteln geht es darum, welche Möglichkeiten und Chancen sich den Zugezogenen bieten, ihre Träume und Vorstellungen umzusetzen. Zusammenfassend lässt sich sagen, dass die Erfahrungen, welche Zugezogene in Astana machen, sehr gut als Beispiele für liminal personae und liminales Wohnen verstanden werden können. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First of all I wish to thank all my informants for their time and trust and for sharing their lives with me in the field. Without them this work would not have been possible. I am especially grateful to my six flat-mates who accepted and welcomed me in their flat and shared their most intimate stories with me. I also thank Svetlana Kovalskaya and Kulshat Medeyova at the Eurasian University for their support in Astana. I would like to thank my supervisors, who guided me through my work and helped me stay positive despite all the confusion and hardships. My first supervisor Ingeborg Baldauf always found time for me to discuss my ideas and spent hours to inspire me with her input and feedback. Her jokes and positive outlook always made me feel good. My second supervisor Manja Stephan was also very helpful with her advice on literature and sorting out my ideas. She encouraged me and provided help when needed. Next, I am grateful to the Erasmus Mundus program and the project coordinator Matthias Parske at Humboldt University. Without the generous stipend from Erasmus Mundus I would not have been able to finish this project. Matthias Parske believed in me and has been following my project very closely, supporting and encouraging me to work hard and finish it. Furthermore, I am very much grateful to Philipp Schröder and Alexander Wolters for their invaluable suggestions and criticism of my work, for reading my draft papers and their constant moral support and friendship. They made me believe that this work was valuable and interesting and that I could actually finish it. My thanks also go to Peter Finke who read my draft papers and gave me very useful comments. Finally, my gratitude goes to my family. Unfortunately my mother passed away in the middle of this project and did not see it finish. And I should mention and thank all the friends for their friendship and lifting up my spirit. i TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................1 Astana: Political and Historical Background .....................................................................................1 Theoretical Framework: Co-Production of Space .............................................................................4 Liminality ...................................................................................................................................... 10 Methodology: Being an Outsider and Insider................................................................................. 14 Existing Research on Astana .......................................................................................................... 20 Overview of Chapters .................................................................................................................... 26 CHAPTER 2. PRIEZZHIE AND HOW TO BECOME AN ASTANAIAN ......................................................... 31 Regional and Other Divides ........................................................................................................... 34 Alima: From Being a Northerner to Almost Turning into a Local Astanaian ................................ 40 Arsen: Between Proud Southerner and Priezzhiy ....................................................................... 45 Elena: Caught in Between: Unable to Move ............................................................................... 51 Masha: Passive and Accepting the Status Quo ........................................................................... 61 Nurjan and Natasha: Excluding Southerners and Rural Priezzhie ............................................... 67 Analysis: Priezzhie as Liminal Personae .......................................................................................... 72 CHAPTER 3. HOUSING PRACTICES ..................................................................................................... 80 Housing Distribution and Desire for Homeownership .................................................................... 82 Liminal Renting and the Hypercity ................................................................................................. 94 Propiska, Registration and Invisibility .......................................................................................... 109 Elderly and Renting: Becoming “Homeless” ................................................................................. 118 Conclusion: Liminal Housing ........................................................................................................ 124 CHAPTER 4. DATING AND BEING SINGLE IN ASTANA ....................................................................... 130 Mabat and Tahir ......................................................................................................................... 132 Alima, Dilnaz and Kanysh ...........................................................................................................