Language In The Construction Of Ethnicity Among Koreans In Kazakhstan: A Case Study Of The Korean Community In Karaganda

NRU HSE , 2024. No. 116.

Aitzhanov S.

This study focuses on examining the role of language as an attribute in the construction of ethnicity within the Korean community in Kazakhstan. The research examines how language functions as an attribute in the categorization and identification processes, and how it interacts with other ethnic attributes such as descent and appearance. Drawing on qualitative methods, including interviews and focus groups, the study reveals that language plays a central role in the identification of individuals as “Russian” or “Hanguk” (Korean nationals from South Korea), while local Koreans don't use it to differentiate themselves from other ethnic groups within Kazakhstan. The findings suggest that language, particularly when other visible attributes are absent, can serve as an independent attribute of ethnic belonging. The study contributes to a broader understanding of ethnicity and identity construction.

Keywords: constructivism, Kazakhstan, identification, South Korea, Koreans, Ethnicity