GENDER, MULTILINGUALISM, AND CAREER CHOICE IN KAZAKHSTAN: AN INTERSECTIONAL VIEW OF UNDERGRADUATE ASPIRATIONS

Abstract

This article synthesizes qualitative findings on how gender and multilingualism intersect to shape the career aspirations of first-year undergraduates in Kazakhstan. Drawing on Feminist Theory (Butler, 1990), Sociocultural Theory (Vygotsky, 1978; De Costa, 2007), and Intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1989), the analysis situates student narratives within Kazakhstan’s trilingual policy context—Kazakh, Russian, and English (Mehisto et. al, 2014)—and wider sociolinguistic hierarchies. Interviews with ten students (five women, five men) reveal persistent gendered steering (e.g., “STEM for men, humanities for women”), the uneven valuing of language skills across fields and genders, and the differential translation of multilingual competence into leadership capital. While multilingualism is widely perceived as an asset, women report its recognition mainly in “supportive” roles (e.g., teaching, translation), whereas men describe language as leverage for mobility in high-status domains (e.g., IT, engineering, international business). Some women strategically select women-dominant fields for psychological safety, even at an income trade-off. The article concludes with implications for policy and practice: gender-responsive career guidance; equitable recognition of multilingual competencies; targeted mentorship for women aiming at multilingual leadership; and curricular/organizational reforms that address the gendered distribution of linguistic capital.