The role of Radio Liberty in promoting the work of Kazakh writers in China
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26577/HJ20257842Keywords:
Azattyq, radio broadcasts, Kazakh writers, creativity, mass media.Abstract
This article analyzes the content, thematic focus, and cultural significance of the broadcasts produced by the U.S.-based international radio station Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) that were dedicated to the works of Kazakh writers living in China. Although these programs, which were aired during the second half of the twentieth century, did not reach Kazakhstan in full due to political, technical, and informational barriers, part of the archival materials has been preserved and is now considered a valuable cultural and historical heritage. The archive collected under the leadership of Hasan Oraltai, head of the Kazakh Service of RFE/RL, is currently stored at the National Academic Library of the Republic of Kazakhstan, where it serves as an important source for scholarly research. Based on these materials, a significant publication entitled “Speaking from Radio Azattyk” was released in 2023 in commemoration of the radio’s 70th anniversary and Hasan Oraltai’s 90th anniversary.
The main objective of the article is to identify the role of “Azattyk” radio in promoting and disseminating the literary works of Kazakh writers in China. The research applies textual analysis, historical-comparative methods, and systematic examination of specific examples. The data obtained from radio broadcasts are compared with the publications of Chinese Kazakh writers in the press, revealing the interrelations, parallels, and distinctive features between the two sources.
The findings demonstrate that “Azattyk” radio played a crucial role in preserving, documenting, and transmitting the literary heritage of Chinese Kazakh authors. Furthermore, the broadcasts served as an important medium for revitalizing national culture, sustaining historical memory, and strengthening cultural ties between Kazakh communities in Kazakhstan and China. The article highlights the scholarly value of these radio archives for expanding the history of Kazakh literature and understanding the creative contributions of diaspora writers.
