Half of the country are my relatives: kinship solidarity, morality and good life in post-socialist Kazakhstan

Abstract

This paper provides a different interpretation of Kazakh kinship and argues that the impact of clans upon mainstream politics in Kazakhstan is overestimated. After the collapse of the Soviet state, kinship functioned as a ‘shock absorber’ in several post-socialist countries. The importance of kinship solidarity and Islamic norms rose due to Nazarbayev’s politics of promoting Kazakhness. Kazakh perception of traditions includes following a complex set of norms behaving in a way that is in accordance with be according to Islamic values, and mutual support. Kazakh families are large strong networks that cover the country, and the main driving force behind the networks is the practice of reciprocity and an obligation to help one’s relatives. These social norms are confirmed and recreated in civic and family rituals like Nauruz, weddings and other social gatherings. This paper discusses the ideology and practices of kinship networks to demonstrate how Kazakh moral values are embedded within the functioning of private and state structures.