THE ISSUE OF TOLERANCE AMONG STUDENTS IN MULTIETHNIC ENVIRONMENT: CASE OF KAZAKHSTAN

The problem of tolerance became especially acute at the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21st centuries due to the development of globalization processes, the growth of migration flows, as well as the growing threat of terrorism.The study is devoted to the issue of tolerance among students as the important feature of professionals in globalizing world. The case of Kazakhstan is unique due to its multhethnic composition and multicultural nature. The research objective of the study to get the insights of the tolerance understanding of Kazakhstani students. The study implies mixed method: quantitative part includes express-survey of Tolerance Index and survey "Types and components of tolerance - intolerance", qualitative part includes follow-up semi-structured interviews with survey participants. Study participants – Kazakhstani students (N=55) show relatively high level of tolerance, however they require further education on tolerance. Due to the limited numbers of studies about Kazakhstan, this research sets the foundation for further research of developing countries. The research showed that students in Kazakhstani university possess relatively positive attitude towards tolerance in multiethnic society, however there are knowledge gaps that need to be fulfilled. Despite existing efforts, students still cannot fully understand the meaning of tolerance.