Defense of the dissertation of Sapargalikyzy Zhanar for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in the specialty «6D050100 - Sociology»
L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, a dissertation defense for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) by Sapargalikyzy Zhanar on the topic «Empowerment of women in Kazakhstan: a political and sociological analysis» by specialty «6D050100 - Sociology».
The dissertation was carried out at the «Sociology education department» of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University.
The language of defense is kazakh
Official reviewers:
Davletbaeva Zhuldyz Zhetpysbaevna - Candidate of Sociological Sciences, Associate Professor of the National School of State Policy of the Academy of State Administration under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, specialty: 22.00.04 Social Structure, Social Institute and Process (Astana, Republic of Kazakhstan);
Shedenova Nazym Utegalievna - Doctor of Sociological Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Sociology and Social Work of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, specialty: "22.00.03-Economic Sociology, Ethnosociology and Demography" (Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan).
Temporary members of the Dissertation Council:
Beimisheva Aigul Seitzhanovna - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Professor of the Humanitarian School of Narxoz University, specialty: "6D050100 - Sociology" (Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan);
Zhumagulov Eldos Tanirbergenovich - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Senior Specialist of the Committee for the Development of Interethnic Relations of the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan RSI “Kogamdyk kelisim”, specialty: "6D0501200 Political Science" (Astana, Republic of Kazakhstan);
Karimova Zhanna Karimovna - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Research Lecturer at the Department of Sociology, University of Grenoble-Alpes, Associate Researcher at the Max Weber Centre, specialty: "6D050100 Sociology" (Grenoble, France).
Scientific consultants:
Seidumanov Serik Turarovich - Doctor of Sociological Sciences, Professor, Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Director of the Institute of Philosophy, Political Science and Religious Studies;
Salmorbekova Rita Bobuyevna - Doctor of Sociological Sciences, Professor, Senior Researcher at the Altmyshbaev Institute of Philosophy of the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic (Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic).
The defense will take place on June 25, 2025, at 03:00 PM in the Dissertation Council for the training direction «8D031 - Social sciences» in the specialty «6D050100 - Sociology» of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University. Conducting a meeting of the dissertation council in a mixed (offline and online) format.
Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/8114174324?pwd=dVhvaFdrUm9hRll6eTBsclhybUtvZz09
Conference ID: 811 4174 324
Access Сode: DC9hpA
Address: Astana, 2 Satbayev st., №1 educational and administrative building of L.N. Gumilev ENU, auditorium 302.
Abstract (English): dissertation entitled "Empowerment of Women in Kazakhstan: A Political and Sociological Analysis" submitted by Sapargalikyzy Zhanar for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in the specialty 6D050100-Sociology The introduction substantiates the relevance of the research topic, indicates the degree of its research, defines the goals and objectives, subject, form, and theoretical and methodological foundations of the dissertation, defines the scientific novelty and practical significance of the dissertation, outlines the main provisions submitted for defense, and the approbation of the main conclusions and results of the study. General characteristics of the research work. Within the framework of the topic of empowerment of women in Kazakhstan, the representation of women in government and civil positions in the government bodies of the republic is examined. The implementation of the gender approach in the state personnel policy will radically change the qualitative characteristics of the administrative and managerial apparatus. The gender based approach to state personnel policy affects the imbalance of power relations between men and women, ensures quality execution of government programs and increases the effectiveness of public policy. When implementing the state gender equal ity policy, it is important to take into account the significant differences in the careers of male and female civil servants. Kazakhstani women usually combine family, motherhood and career, which must be taken into account when working with professional staff. The situation of women combining work and family requires the establishment of genuine social partnership relations between women and men and the equal distribution of responsibility for the imbalance between work and private life. It is important to understand that women are a serious intellectual and professional capital of society, and a gender-sensitive approach to the training of female personnel in the public service has an impact on the construction of a future society. In order to intensify its development, society must create opportunities for the development of untapped human resources from the point of view of gender equality, which means the full and inclusive participation of women and men in all these processes. Relevance of the research topic. Currently, there is no country in the world where there are men and women equally represented in public administration. At the same time, the presence of women in politics is symbolic and has a direct impact, the increase in the proportion of women in government bodies qualitatively changes the content and implementation of social policy, empowers vulnerable groups and reduces corruption and conflict. It should be noted that there are both explicit and latent mechanisms that limit the number of women in the socio-political space, especially at the level of highest political authority. Different strategies for women's access to power and public administration and ways to overcome latent limitations determine the relevance of this dissertation research. The transnational way of forming international structures, the conditions of globalization, the importance of sustainable development and the increasing processes of social inequality require new types of leaders from modern societies, educated according to the principles of equality and equal opportunities and capable of making not only traditional political but also complex socio-economic decisions. Theoretical and methodological foundations and the level of investigation of the research work: The basis of this dissertation research are socio-political theories, feminist concepts, gender analysis and the results of foreign and domestic gender studies. The dissertation research uses philosophical, sociological, historical, logical and general scientific methods, as well as analysis, synthesis and interviews. The thesis uses the method of semi-structured interviews with deputies of the Parliament and the Maslikhat of the Republic of Kazakhstan to qualitatively analyze the existing strategies of Kazakhstani women officials in building and implementing a political career. The study uses a gendered approach to analyze the specifics of women's political careers, which allows them to see obstacles and limitations in building a political career both from the perspective of institutional conditions and from the perspective of their implementation practices. The object of the dissertation: Kazakhstani women, civil servants pursuing a professional career at various levels of political and civil administration. The purpose of the dissertation research: To analyze the opportunities for women's empowerment in relation to women's access to political and civil positions in public service in Kazakhstan. The degree of scientific development of the problem of career strategies of female civil servants in Kazakhstan is little researched, is interdisciplinary and requires empirical research. The subject of the study is the specifics of the implementation of career strategies for Kazakhstani women civil servants in the structure of state power of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Research objectives: - to study the causes and consequences of gender asymmetry in politics; - to analyze the effects of gender segregation on the labor market; - to describe the particularities of the gender-specific distribution of household duties and care responsibilities; - to substantiate methodological and theoretical approaches to the study of gender-specific processes in power relations; - to characterize the political participation of women in the Senate and the Mazhilis of the Republic of Kazakhstan; - to determine the level of participation of Kazakhstani women in the work of political parties; - to characterize the representation of Kazakhstani women in the civil service; - to examine the institutional conditions and career strategies of Kazakhstani women in government; - to compare the legal and political factors for women's advancement in Kazakhstani administrations; - to determine the methodological aspects of analyzing the gender dynamics of personnel in the system of state power; - to identify the existing obstacles to the political career of women - to study the professional and career characteristics of women in the civil service. 1. Hypothesis foundations (causal hypotheses): The empowerment of women in Kazakhstan is hampered by the presence of gender stereotypes that persist in society and state institutions. The socio-economic status of women in Kazakhstan depends directly on their level of education and their access to resources such as financial support and the labor market. Traditional patriarchal norms in Kazakh society restrict women's participation in decision-making at all levels, including in politics and business. Insufficient legal protection for women and an imperfect institutional framework are the main obstacles to their equality. Kazakhstani women face a double burden (work and household responsibilities) that limits their professional and social activities. 2. Hypothesis-consequences (predictive hypotheses): The introduction of gender budgeting and the improvement of gender equality policies will lead to an increase in the participation of women in politics and business. Increasing the proportion of women in the authorities of Kazakhstan will contribute to improving social justice and drafting legislation to protect vulnerable groups. Expanding educational and professional opportunities for women will reduce poverty among families in Kazakhstan. The introduction of quotas for women's participation in governing bodies will increase the efficiency of public administration through a more inclusive approach. The intensification of women's movements and their support by the state will help to accelerate the change in public awareness in favor of gender equality. Digitalization and access to new technologies will accelerate the economic empowerment of women, especially in rural areas of Kazakhstan. The following methods were used to solve the tasks set: The methodological and theoretical foundations of the dissertation research are socio-political theories, feminist concepts, gender analysis and the results of foreign and domestic gender studies. Sociological (semi-structured interview method, focus groups, questionnaires), institutional, historical and logical methods were used in the dissertation research. The thesis uses a methodology for qualitative analysis of existing strategies of Kazakhstani women officials based on the results of the author's interviews with deputies of the Parliament and Maslikhats of the Republic of Kazakhstan. As part of this study, 2 focus groups were conducted among women working in the civil service and living in urban and rural areas. In addition, a survey was conducted among young people aged 18-30 to find out what obstacles exist in society to women's active participation in politics. Research sources: A wide range of sources and literature used in the writing of the work are grouped according to origin as follows: 1. Conceptual and regulatory documents of the Republic of Kazakhstan. 2. Reference literature of the state statistical offices. 3. A semi-structured interview was conducted with individual female deputies of the Parliament and Maslikhats of the Republic of Kazakhstan. 4. Materials of sociological research on the political and socio-economic status of women conducted by the Association of Sociologists and Political Scientists of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Association of Women of Intellectual Labor, the Central Asian Agency for Political Research and the Development Institute of Kazakhstan. 5. Results of sociological research of non-governmental organizations in Kazakhstan. 6. Publications of international governmental organizations. 7. Publications of international public organizations. 8. Scientific monographic literature by researchers from Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, the USA, Great Britain, Norway and Sweden. 9. Publications in specialized journals, information and publications on the Internet. 107The board game "Developing gender sensitivity" was developed for the first time on the basis of gender stereotypes compiled from empirical data. In order to research the topic of this thesis and solve the research tasks, it is very important to have various sources such as official government documents and publications of non-governmental organizations. A comprehensive study of these sources enables a complete comparative study. Special attention is paid to the data collected by the author of the dissertation in in-depth interviews with individual female deputies and female officials of the Parliament and Maslikhats of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Among the various sources, the results of numerous national studies in the United States - the only country that has conducted a survey on women in politics for 80 years - stand out. Simultaneously with the election results, the author analyzed and summarized the behavior of various population groups, including women in politics. Scientific novelty of the research. 1. The main reasons for the low level of political activity of Kazakhstani women and the existing obstacles preventing women's participation in politics were identified. 2. The impact of economic inequality and gender asymmetry in the labor market on the likelihood of women pursuing a professional career is analyzed. 3. The reasons for the low participation of Kazakhstani women in politics are examined and summarized based on a general gender analysis of political representation and the specifics of the scenario of women's entry into politics in Kazakhstan. 4. The institutional conditions and career opportunities for Kazakhstani women in the government bodies of the Republic of Kazakhstan are considered. 5. The factors of women's political representation in the modern world and Kazakh society are identified and grouped. 6. The scenarios of professional activity of Kazakhstani female civil servants are described: "purposeful", "casual", "family", "promising". 7. The explanatory models of Kazakhstani female civil servants to justify their participation in politics are examined: the "patriarchal" model, the "stereotypical" model, the "essentialist" model and the "mental" model. 8. The causes and consequences of the dominance of the traditional model of male values in Kazakh society are identified. 9. The reasons for the preference for "unwritten laws", which are based on the traditional way of life in Kazakh society, over the equality of the sexes officially proclaimed by the laws are examined. 10. Legislative, institutional, organizational and conceptual recommendations were developed for government agencies to ensure equal participation of women in politics. The dissertation is a comprehensive domestic research in the field of the influence of the gender factor on the development of a professional political career in the representative authorities of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The author of the dissertation examines the reasons for the low representation of women in politics and the mechanisms for increasing it at two levels, where the upper level is the activity of the state in the field of gender policy and the lower level is the strategy of Kazakhstani women in the field of professional political careers. The practical value of the research work. The practical significance is determined by the possibility of using the main provisions and results of the dissertation in conducting further studies on gender issues and determining the mechanisms and directions for the formation of a balanced public gender policy. The main conclusions and provisions of the conducted research can be used in the development of the legislative framework for gender equality in the Republic of Kazakhstan, in specialized training courses in political science and sociology, in gender and other studies, as well as in the practice of women's political activities. The main conclusions to be defended: The main points to be defended are based on the scientific results obtained in this dissertation research: 1. The achievement of social development goals is impossible without the effective and active participation of women not only in development processes but also in the shaping of their goals. The participation of women in political processes and in the shaping of society brings with it new priorities and perspectives. Women's political participation takes many forms: It includes not only the right to vote and to be elected to leading government bodies, but also collective activity in public associations and the protection of civil rights. 2. In countries with economies in transition, women are the targets of direct and implicit discrimination, although women's political participation can be more effective than traditional "male" approaches in many areas of public life. The post-Soviet countries are characterized by several fundamental problems of women's political advancement: the social stereotypes of the majority of voters, the aggressiveness of male competitors towards female politicians, and the unwillingness of women themselves to compete with men in politics. Consequently, discrimination against women is based both on irrational beliefs and stereotypes and on reducing the problem of women's self-discrimination. One of the ways out of this situation is to reform legislation, change sexist attitudes in the public consciousness and create institutional conditions for the advancement of women in politics. 3. The political representation of women and their voting behavior differs from that of men, which manifests itself in gender-specific differences in the electoral process. Their presence not only has a significant impact on election results, but also on the policies pursued in society, on the representation of women at the various levels of government. 4. Gender occupies a central place in the analysis of power structures, the organization of social and cultural institutions and models of ideological control in modern societies. Political gender studies are not only of academic interest but also of great practical importance as they aim to shape the political culture of society. In addition, gender analysis of political participation makes it possible to determine the role of women as qualitatively new voters, the degree of women's political mobilization and the degree of influence of women voters on electoral outcomes. 5. The inclusion of women in the shaping of democratic institutions from a gender perspective is an invariable feature of democracy. The development of modern forms and norms of democracy requires the equal participation of men and women in all areas of public life and at all levels of decision-making. 6. The processes of increasing the participation and involvement of women in the political life of society are characterized by a multi-level orientation, with the upper level comprising the processes of global consolidation in solving the problem of gender equality (activities of the United Nations and other international organizations) and the lower level comprising local, intra-national actions and changes (state gender policy, mechanisms of political analysis, development of the women's movement). 7. The presence of restrictions in the professional careers of female civil servants characterizes certain scenarios of their professional activities. When collecting the empirical data, we identified such scenarios as "purposeful", "accidental", "family" and "promising". Each of these scenarios does not exist in its pure form, sometimes they overlap. We also found a serious influence of factors such as the age of the informants and their level of education on career success. 8. Female officials use various explanatory models to justify their participation in politics. For example, the patriarchal model focuses on women's inability to climb the career ladder on their own and on men's direct and symbolic support of women. The stereotypical model is based on the typical notions of women in the civil service worrying about whether they can balance work, home and motherhood, and the randomness and involuntariness of entry into the management pool. The essentialist model is based on the idea that the low representation of women in public service management positions is related to their emotionality, kindness, "feminine logic", special intuition and the importance of family in a woman's life when she has to constantly take care of children and her husband and therefore should not spend much time at work. The "mental" model of the reasons for the weak representation of women in government bodies are cultural beliefs that Kazakhstani women should not and cannot compete with men. All these explanatory models are characterized by a high degree of syncretism, when completely contradictory judgments are bizarrely woven into a whole. Although Kazakhstan has a formal framework in the form of laws, programs and strategies for gender equality adopted since 1998, and the National Commission on Women, Family and Population Policy established by the first President of the Republic still does not address the issue of Kazakhstani women's active participation in political decision-making. At the same time, it is worth noting that the National Commission was established not on the initiative of women but on the initiative of the president, which indirectly testifies to the manifestation of patriarchal, discriminatory initiatives, that there is no strong women's trade union movement, that no political party with a women's policy agenda has been established, and that the feminist movement is extremely weakly represented. Of course, laws are one of the most important mechanisms for shaping gender relations as relations that shape and distribute forces and resources between the reproductive and productive spheres of human life. Gender as a feature of legal norms makes it possible to analyze social differentiation, social inequality and the restriction of citizens' rights. However, it is equally important for sociology to understand the existing practices and explanatory models that actors use in their daily lives. At the same time, it is impossible to deny the existence of truly active female civil servants, who form a particular scenario for practicing and continuing their activities in this place. The state is changing the formal framework and offers great opportunities, but they still do not work in favor of women, and women need to develop various strategies for these institutional conditions. Creating conditions for women's participation in politics, gender education, a women's political party and a strong and influential feminist community will lay the foundation for the rise of women to the highest ranks of government. Discussion and publication of a research paper. Based on the main scientific results and research findings, 6 scientific articles were published in domestic and foreign publications and at international scientific, theoretical and practical conferences. Of these, 1 article was published in the Scopus database, 2 articles in the materials of international conferences, 3 articles in journals on the list approved by the Committee for Supervision of Education and Science of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Approbation of the results. In the period from 2018 to 2021, the doctoral student has carried out extensive practical work in the field of research on the achievements of gender equality in Kazakhstan. Some of the results of the dissertation were used in a number of seminars and trainings: on women's political leadership in non-governmental and governmental structures; on legislation, on equal opportunities and implementation mechanisms. A considerable amount of materials used in the development of seminars combining various approaches and mechanisms for solving the problem of women's participation in political activities formed the basis of an information base and practical experience in this area. To consolidate the research results, the author actively participated in a number of events with the participation of leading experts in the field of sociology: the round table "Women's Leadership" with the participation of the Counselor of the Embassy of Canada Julia Cloutier (Astana, 2018); the Congress of Sociologists of Kazakhstan (Astana, September 27-28, 2018); the round table with the participation of the Governor General of Canada Julie Payette (Astana, December 3, 2018); the press conference "Women's Leadership" (Astana, December 3, 2018). December 2018); press conference organized by the Institute for Equality and Equal Opportunities of Kazakhstan "Status of Women and Girls in Religious Denominations" International Conference on the 20th Anniversary of the National Commission on Women and Family and Population Policy under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan "Family and Gender Policy of Kazakhstan: Achievements and Prospects" (Astana, December 7, 2018); The Canadian Embassy in Kazakhstan hosted a roundtable "Promoting Women in Business 2019" (Astana, February 28, 2019); an international scientific and practical conference "Women in Public Service" (St. Petersburg, March 21-22, 2019); a seminar "Gender Equality, Feminism, Masculinity, Women's Issues in Islam", organised by Nazarbayev University (Astana, April 4, 2019); Eurasian National Conference "Women in Public Service" (St. Petersburg, March 21-22, 2019); Eurasian National University "Gender in the academic space of modern scientific seminar " (Astana, April 10, 2019); Participation in the international conference "Gylym zhane bilim-2019"; Participation in Round Table "The role of Muslim women in society in Kazakhstan and Central Asia" with performance of Maria Tyufak (Kingdom of Morocco) (Astana, April 18, 2019); "Support for low-income and unemployed women in the Karaganda region through training in the basics of business and "green" technologies for the implementation of a workshop for rural women to implement a social project" under the leadership of the Executive Director of the International Organization "Expo&Women", the responsible Askarov L. K. (Astana, April 22, 2019); "On state programs to support entrepreneurship" - round table of the NGO "Atameken" under the leadership of the Chairman of the Association of Business Women of Karaganda Region, Zh. Kulmagambetova (Astana, April 26, 2019); Pavlodar State University named after S. Toraigyrova. Bulletin of the PSU. Inter-agency Commission (IAC) article "Career growth in the civil service in the aspect of gender equality: status, problems, prospects" (Pavlodar, No. 2, 2019); International Working Committee article "Manifestation of professional integration in the dual employment of women" (Astana, No. 2, 2019); Institute of Eurasian Integration "Orientation of socio-political modernization of Kazakhstan". International Conference "Ideology of the Gender Mainstream or Corruption of the Jahan Order" (Astana, May 23, 2019); Bulletin of the Kazakh National Pedagogical University named after Abai. Series "Sociological and Political Sciences" (IAC Article No. 1(69). RSCI Journal Social Policy and Social Partnership. Employment and career of college graduates in Kyrgyzstan (Moscow, No. 5, 2021); Scopus magazine "Women in Russian society" (Ivanovo, October 2021). The structure of the research paper consists of a definition of the dissertation, an introduction, three sections, 9 subsections, a conclusion and a bibliography. The total volume of the dissertation is 166 pages, bibliographic sources - 150, figures - 9, tables - 2.
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