THE IMPACT OF MULTILINGUAL LANGUAGE POLICY ON EDUCATIONAL EQUITY IN POST-SOVIET CONTEXTS

This thesis investigates the impact of multilingual language policy on educational equity in post-Soviet contexts, with a particular focus on Central Asia and the Caucasus. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, former republics faced challenges in redefining national identities and language policies. While Russian retained importance as a lingua franca, the promotion of titular national languages and the introduction of English have reshaped the linguistic ecology of education. This research employs a comparative case study methodology, analyzing policy documents, curricular frameworks, and interview data from educators and policymakers in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Georgia. Findings reveal that multilingual policies often generate tensions between national identity promotion and equitable access to quality education. While elite urban schools benefit from English and Russian-medium instruction, rural and marginalized groups face barriers due to limited resources, teacher training gaps, and linguistic hierarchies. The study argues that equitable multilingual education requires policies that balance national language revitalization with inclusive strategies to prevent linguistic marginalization.