Round Table "Comprehensive Analysis of Forming a Digital Society in the Republic of Kazakhstan"

(Almaty, June 20^th, 2024)

On June 20^th, 2024, the Institute of Philosophy, Political Science, and Religious Studies of the Science Committee of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan held a round table. The topic of discussion was the comprehensive analysis of the digital society in Kazakhstan. The event was part of the implementation of the scientific project №BR21882302 "Kazakhstan Society in the Context of Digital Transformation: Prospects and Risks".

During the round table, members of the project research team presented reports on various aspects of the digitalization of the Kazakhstani society. The following issues were discussed:

- the socio-humanitarian dimension of the digitalization process;

- features and prospects of the digitalization of Islam;

- worldview and ideological foundations of digitalization;

- risks and consequences of the development of digital technologies;

- the ambivalent potential of the digitalization phenomenon in the information society;

- specifics of ethical and legal culture in the digital space.

Digitalization has become an integral part of the modern world, changing many aspects of our lives. In Kazakhstan, this process is also gaining momentum, affecting all spheres of society, from the economy and education to politics and religion. Digitalization in Kazakhstan has been a quite successful process; however, numerous problems and risks remain.

One of the key aspects of the digital society is the socio-humanitarian dimension of the digitalization process. As the speakers noted, successful digitalization requires integration of humanitarian knowledge. This means that along with technological progress, it is necessary to consider the social and cultural characteristics of society to ensure harmonious development and avoid the negative consequences.

Personal identity and the philosophical aspects of digitalization were also important topics of discussion. Digitalization affects our perception of ourselves and of the world around us. Modern technologies change our daily lives, requiring the rethinking of philosophical concepts of personality and identity. At the same time, digitalization not only brings the technological but also profound ideological changes. This influences our value orientations and social structures, requiring a conscious approach to forming a digital society. Understanding the worldview and ideological foundations of digitalization is important to avoid potential negative consequences.

Digitalization has a significant impact on the economy and politics. In this regard, it is relevant to study the dynamics of ICT service exports from Kazakhstan, considering the importance of this sector for economic development of the country. Speakers also examined the interaction of political parties with the internet community, highlighting new opportunities and risks. Special attention should be paid to the digitalization of religious practices. Speakers expressed the opinion that digitalization opens up new opportunities for interaction between believers and religious leaders, but that is accompanied by new challenges as well. It is important to ensure the preservation of traditions and data protection to avoid negative consequences for the religious community.

Additionally, the speakers focused on the ethical and legal culture of the digital space. It was noted that digitalization requires the development of new ethical norms and legal frameworks to regulate interactions within this space. Ensuring the security and confidentiality of data is crucial to avoiding negative consequences for society. The impact of social media on political moods was also examined, with key risks identified and recommendations made for their mitigation. Understanding how information technologies affect political processes and moods is important to avoid negative consequences for society.

At the end of the round table, the speakers emphasized the need for effective solutions to current and future challenges related to digitalization. Only through a conscious and responsible approach to digitalization can harmonious development of society be ensured, and negative consequences be avoided.

IFPR Center for Digital Social Sciences and Humanities