Geopolitical strategy of Turkey’s religious policy: features of influence on the socio-cultural space of Kazakhstan

This study aims to analyze Turkey’s geopolitical strategy in religious policy in Kazakhstan, with a focus on the mechanisms for disseminating the Turkish model of Islam through cultural and educational initiatives. The objective of the research is to identify the distinctive features of Turkey’s religious policy influence, particularly through the system of Kazakh-Turkish lyceums, on Kazakhstan’s sociocultural space and the formation of religious-ideological identity under external cultural and religious influence. The research tasks include studying the evolution of Turkey’s religious policy in Kazakhstan, identifying key factors contributing to the spread of Turkish ideology and education in the region, and analyzing the socio-cultural and political consequences of these processes for Kazakhstani society. The research methodology is based on a comprehensive interdisciplinary approach, combining theoretical and empirical methods. Content analysis is employed to examine religious and educational materials, as well as documents related to Turkey’s foreign policy and cultural initiatives in Kazakhstan. Comparative analysis is used to assess the role of various cultural and educational institutions and to compare Turkey’s influence in Kazakhstan with other regions of Central Asia. Additionally, empirical research, including expert interviews and analysis of Kazakh-Turkish lyceums’ activities, reveals the extent of integration of the Turkish educational model and religious ideology into Kazakhstan’s educational and cultural space. The study’s findings are aimed at providing a deeper understanding of the impact of Turkey’s religious and cultural policies on social transformation processes in Kazakhstan and its sociocultural orientations in a globalizing world. Keywords: Turkey’s religious policy, Kazakh-Turkish lyceums, Islam, educational initiatives, soft power