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Middle Powers and Institutional Adaptation in Regional Security Organizations: The Case of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization

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Title: Middle Powers and Institutional Adaptation in Regional Security Organizations: The Case of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization
Language: English
Authors: Kairat Batyrbayev, Maira Dyussembekova, Svetlana Kozhirova, Yelena Nechayeva
Source: Journal of Social Studies Education Research. 2025 16(4):201-225.
Availability: Journal of Social Studies Education Research. Serhat Mah. 1238/2 Sok. 7B Blok 12 Ostim, Yenimahalle, Ankara, Turkey; Web site: http://jsser.org
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 25
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, International Cooperation, Organizations (Groups), Agenda Setting, Norms, Entrepreneurship, International Assessment, Energy, Climate, Sustainability, National Security, Governance, Politics, Regional Programs, Power Structure
Geographic Terms: China (Shanghai), Kazakhstan
ISSN: 1309-9108
Abstract: This article investigates how a middle power can drive institutional adaptation within a regional security organization, focusing on Kazakhstan's role in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). While most studies emphasize the dominance of China and Russia, the mechanisms through which medium-sized states influence organizational development remain underexplored. The research adopts a qualitative comparative design that combines structured content analysis and process tracing. The unit of analysis is Kazakhstan-led initiatives introduced during its four SCO chairmanships (2005, 2011, 2017, 2023-2024). Three mechanisms of middle-power agency are operationalized: agenda-setting, norm entrepreneurship, and coalition-building, and their outcomes are measured using a three-level institutionalization scale (rhetorical [right arrow] procedural [right arrow] institutional). The corpus includes 50 official SCO documents and 20 national strategy papers from 2001 to 2024. The findings show that Kazakhstan consistently used its chairmanships to broaden the SCO agenda beyond traditional security, advancing issues of energy, digital transformation, and climate sustainability. By aligning its initiatives with the priorities of major members and mobilizing regional coalitions, Kazakhstan was able to move several proposals from a declarative to either procedural or institutional status. The study contributes to the middle power theory by demonstrating its applicability in the Eurasian context and offers an operational framework for evaluating institutional change in regional organizations. It also provides policy-relevant insights into how middle powers can enhance their agency under conditions of great-power asymmetry.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1492890
Database: ERIC
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kairat+Batyrbayev%22">Kairat Batyrbayev</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Maira+Dyussembekova%22">Maira Dyussembekova</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Svetlana+Kozhirova%22">Svetlana Kozhirova</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yelena+Nechayeva%22">Yelena Nechayeva</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Social+Studies+Education+Research%22"><i>Journal of Social Studies Education Research</i></searchLink>. 2025 16(4):201-225.
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  Data: Journal of Social Studies Education Research. Serhat Mah. 1238/2 Sok. 7B Blok 12 Ostim, Yenimahalle, Ankara, Turkey; Web site: http://jsser.org
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  Data: 1309-9108
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  Data: This article investigates how a middle power can drive institutional adaptation within a regional security organization, focusing on Kazakhstan's role in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). While most studies emphasize the dominance of China and Russia, the mechanisms through which medium-sized states influence organizational development remain underexplored. The research adopts a qualitative comparative design that combines structured content analysis and process tracing. The unit of analysis is Kazakhstan-led initiatives introduced during its four SCO chairmanships (2005, 2011, 2017, 2023-2024). Three mechanisms of middle-power agency are operationalized: agenda-setting, norm entrepreneurship, and coalition-building, and their outcomes are measured using a three-level institutionalization scale (rhetorical [right arrow] procedural [right arrow] institutional). The corpus includes 50 official SCO documents and 20 national strategy papers from 2001 to 2024. The findings show that Kazakhstan consistently used its chairmanships to broaden the SCO agenda beyond traditional security, advancing issues of energy, digital transformation, and climate sustainability. By aligning its initiatives with the priorities of major members and mobilizing regional coalitions, Kazakhstan was able to move several proposals from a declarative to either procedural or institutional status. The study contributes to the middle power theory by demonstrating its applicability in the Eurasian context and offers an operational framework for evaluating institutional change in regional organizations. It also provides policy-relevant insights into how middle powers can enhance their agency under conditions of great-power asymmetry.
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      – Text: English
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      Pagination:
        PageCount: 25
        StartPage: 201
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: International Cooperation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Organizations (Groups)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Agenda Setting
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Norms
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Entrepreneurship
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: International Assessment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Energy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Climate
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      – SubjectFull: Sustainability
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      – SubjectFull: National Security
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      – SubjectFull: Governance
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      – SubjectFull: Politics
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      – SubjectFull: Regional Programs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Power Structure
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: China (Shanghai)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Kazakhstan
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Middle Powers and Institutional Adaptation in Regional Security Organizations: The Case of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization
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            NameFull: Maira Dyussembekova
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            NameFull: Svetlana Kozhirova
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