This article examines the importance of traditional values in explaining the processes of ethnic identification.
Keywords: ethnic identification, traditional values, spiritual worldview, cultural policy.
The concept of “value” is comprehensively considered in many scientific works by domestic and foreign researchers of different periods working in the fields of philosophy, political science, cultural studies, and sociology. It should be noted that the definition of this concept depends on the views of understanding it in each era. In the process of uncovering the meaning of traditional values, it becomes difficult to understand what values can be considered traditional. During the analysis of scientific literature, the complex nature of values and different approaches to their interpretation determine the versatility of the classification. There is no clear definition in the traditional typology of values either.
In the social and humanitarian sciences, the issue of values, including traditional and innovative issues, is relevant at all stages of the development of human society and acquires its own special tone in each era. Particular attention to the values of society increases at the turn of the century, at crises and turning points in human history, and understanding them requires turning to valuable answers in accordance with the requirements of the time. For example, “reconstruction” in the Soviet Union in 1985–1991 aimed at changes in the economic and political structure of the country, which affected not only Kazakh society but also all the allied states. The entire society is experiencing the same transitional state of globalization and digitization processes that are currently in full swing.
At this point, it is important to know the views of society members on the importance of traditional values and customs [1]. After all, for the preservation of culture and economic development, it is necessary to know the main problems of modern times, the degree of support for political institutions, and the main goals of self-government. Nowadays, as every nation is turning towards self-determination, it is important to understand the problems, positions, and views of ethnic minorities. Ignoring these views is dangerous. Traditional and innovative values are ultimately determined by their relevance to the aspirations and interests of society members.
Intensified economic pressures, breakdown of the joint family system, and increased youth mobility are undermining traditional values and religious norms [2: 278–337]. The processes in globalization conditions and post-industrial society contribute to the emergence of innovative values, different value orientations, and behavioral norms corresponding to new cultural, social, political, and economic models. Therefore, the processes taking place in post-industrial society are changing the social and spiritual lives and values of its members. Due to these processes, changes in the value orientations of the population occur in modern society. It is also possible to question established traditional values. Especially the new values resulting from the processes of modern digitization and virtualization of social reality require our attention. Therefore, in a post-industrial society, the interaction and collision of existing traditional and newly emerging innovative values are quite possible. However, these processes are shaping the value orientations of members of modern society.
According to Balakin [3: 80–97], while the United States, unlike Russia and China, is consistently looking for ways to neutralize ideological conflicts that have already formed, the United States does not pay attention to the importance of traditional values that help to form a new political reality in Eurasia. It is also important to pay attention to the question of the boundaries of civilizations, which remain tentative, and the views between the concepts of multipolarity and globalization in the East and the West, which seem to be politically fiercely contested. It shows the unique mutual features of the unipolar world and the multipolar world.
The reconstruction of the economies of developing countries includes the task of fully realizing the human potential of women. Naizabayeva, Garifolla, and Mukhanbet [4] consider changes in the social status of women and the role of human capital in spreading the traditional values of Kazakhs. The social selection of the study corresponds to the demographic profile of Kazakh society, and 400 women participated. The results of the research revealed the importance of traditional values and behaviors for Kazakh women. The study showed that the level of education is an important component of the social status of Kazakhstani women. However, the respondents mention the insignificance of the degree of influence of the level of education on achieving a high social status.
Summarizing the analysis of views on the content of traditional values, we can say a number of main ways of formulating our thoughts:
- Traditional values act on the basis of conservative values that reflect social order, concepts, and religious positions. Preserving the traditions and institutions of society is considered its main value. Potential changes are not resisted, but the implementation of modernization should be done very carefully.
- Traditional values are often associated with religious values. This shows that religion is the defender and preserver of traditional values.
- Traditional values are defined by certain traditions of people, nations, and countries. For example, we can name national, folklore, ethnic, and ethnographic values.
Considering different ways of understanding the concept in question by scientists, it is possible to single out the following main values: (1) human, social, and cultural meaning of the phenomena of public reality; (2) an understanding that shows the specificity of the importance of things and phenomena; (3) socially accepted value ideas; (4) the attitude of a citizen based on personal life experience. In addition, we believe that there are four main characteristics of traditional values: (1) values originating from ancient times, the result of the historical development of a particular nation or civilization; (2) values that include the uniqueness of an individual, society, or civilization among other societies and civilizations; (3) national features of understanding, acceptance, and actualization of the collective values of society; and (4) unique national features in creating a value system.
There is reason to say that the social space of traditional values has been formed in the society where political revival and continuous political reforms are taking place in modern Kazakhstan. The welfare of society is initiated by the consciousness of society. Uncertainty in any society creates a fragmented and ambiguous public consciousness among the people. Such a situation leads to a crisis in the socio-economic development of this society due to the lack of life strategies and necessary social and moral experiences. The change of values leads to a change in the social well-being of a person, household thoughts and consciousness, and new forms of attitudes.
Because traditional values are universal in nature, they rely on public opinion and support ideal cultural patterns and norms of behavior. Traditional values, forming the core of the nation’s cultural heritage, show the spiritual nature of the people, which has been preserved for centuries. Traditional values, serving the basic structures of human consciousness, allow us to perceive the environment, acquire the social experience accumulated by our ancestors, and contribute to the formation of a spiritual worldview.
Due to the above-mentioned opinions, priority should be given to defining the features of the formation of traditional values in the process of ethnic identification in post-industrial society. To solve this problem, it is necessary to determine the meaning of traditional values and their relevance in the modern world. For this, we consider it appropriate to define the meaning of the «value» category, the content of the established traditional values, and the processes of ethnic identification, which are prone to changes in modern conditions.
Acknowledgements . This research was funded by the Science Committee of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Grant No. AP19677146. Cross-cultural and axiological analysis of ethnic identification processes of ethnic minorities in the southern region of Kazakhstan).
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