How Kazakhstan Navigates a Multipolar Future | Jessica Neafie | TEDxNazarbayev University

Central Asia is often treated as a region caught between great powers. But what if that understanding is completely wrong? In this talk, Jessica Neafie explores how countries like Kazakhstan are actively shaping diplomacy, energy transitions, and global connectivity in an increasingly multipolar world. Moving beyond outdated ideas of “small states” and geopolitical peripheries, she argues that Central Asia may be more important to the future of international relations than most people realize. Jessica Neafie is an Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Relations at Nazarbayev University and Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Political Science and International Relations. Her research focuses on Central Asian international relations, multipolarity, energy politics, and China’s engagement in the region, combining computational and qualitative methods to study global political change. She is particularly interested in how smaller and middle powers navigate increasingly complex global systems and how Central Asia helps reshape our understanding of international relations. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx