On May 13, 2026, the Institute for Philosophy, Political Science and Religious Studies hosted the International Scientific and Practical Conference “Political, Socio-Economic and Cultural Processes (1980–2026): On the Path Toward a Just Kazakhstan” in both online and offline formats.

The conference was organized to discuss current trends in Kazakhstan’s political, socio-economic, and cultural development in the context of contemporary global transformations, as well as to analyze the conceptual foundations and practical prospects for implementing the idea of a Just Kazakhstan. The event brought together Kazakhstani and international scholars, political scientists, philosophers, experts, and representatives of the academic community.

 Opening remarks were delivered by Deputy Director General for Research Sholpan Jamanbalaeva, who emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary academic dialogue in studying contemporary socio-political processes and developing approaches for the country’s future development. The conference was moderated by Aydar Amrebayev, Head of the Center for Comparative Political Studies at the Institute.

The conference addressed issues related to Kazakhstan’s modern experience of sovereign development, the relationship between communitarian and neoliberal models of social development, the role of philosophical knowledge in shaping the conceptual foundations of a Just Kazakhstan, and the significance of international modernization experience for political, socio-economic, and cultural policymaking.

Key presentations were delivered by:

•  Yesenzhol Aliyarov, President of the Kazakhstan Association of Political Studies;
•   Arthur Demchuk (Russia), Head of the Department of Comparative Politics, Faculty of Political Science, Lomonosov Moscow State University;
•   Rustem Kadyrzhanov, Chief Research Fellow at the Center for Comparative Political Studies of the Institute;
•   Li Ziguo (China), Director of the Institute of the China Institute of International Studies;
•   Jan Campbell (Germany), Professor and political analyst;
•   Anatoly Kosichenko, Chief Research Fellow at the Center for Religious Studies of the Institute;
•   Vera Grantseva (France), Lecturer at the Paris Institute of Political Studies;
•   Wang Haiyan (China), Director of the Kazakhstan Research Center at East China Normal University.

During the discussion, participants exchanged views on political modernization, the transformation of public institutions, the development of civil society, cultural policy, and international cooperation. Various research approaches to analyzing contemporary processes in Kazakhstan were presented, along with discussions of selected aspects of international modernization experience.

Following the conference, participants emphasized the importance of continuing scientific and expert dialogue on Kazakhstan’s social development, as well as the need for further interdisciplinary research into the political, socio-economic, and cultural transformations of contemporary society.