Authors

Eva Lennartz¹;  ¹ Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan

Discussion

In my paper, I examine how young adults in Kazakhstan have adapted to the post-Soviet environment characterised by neoliberalism, the contraction of the (Soviet) welfare state, and diminished state-sponsored youth activities, alongside an increasing dependence on family support (Diuk, 2012; Kirmse, 2016; Roberts, 2010). I argue that millennials are navigating this new reality through "disruptive innovation" (Kilkki et al., 2018), particularly via the localisation of technological flows from Russia, China, the United States and Asia. This process enables them to embrace entrepreneurship, shape a new urban culture, and redefine concepts of womanhood. My methodology is innovative, utilising a socio-semiotic ethnography approach (Vannini, 2007) that combines semi-structured qualitative interviews with field notes gathered in Astana, alongside street style photography. Clothing styles serve as a lens for uncovering innovative disruption; while the interviews amplify the voices of everyday lived experiences. The insights gained from my research can be transferred to other post-Soviet contexts, empowering young adults to enhance their "capacity to aspire" (Appadurai, 2004).