The Role of Religion in Shaping Sociocultural Self-Identification of Society in Kazakhstan

Abstract

Religiosity acts as an important marker of personal self-identification and an identification marker of social processes. The paradigm in relation to religion is changing: the secularism of the state and ideological pluralism contributes to an expanded understanding of religion not only as a spiritual tradition, but also as an institution of socialization. This article examines the dynamics of religiosity in Kazakhstan, focusing on the impact of traditional and new forms of religiosity on sociocultural self-identification. The research utilizes a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis techniques. The study reveals the evolving nature of religiosity in Kazakhstan within a context of ideological pluralism, emphasizing the complex interplay between traditional and new forms of religiosity and highlighting the need for strategies to maintain social cohesion and effective ideological socialization in this multicultural, multi-confessional society. The study contributes to understanding the religiolization process in Kazakhstan and its implications for individual and collective identities in a multicultural and multi-confessional society.

Received: 30 June 2023 / Accepted: 22 August 2023 / Published: 5 September 2023