THE ROLE OF RELIGION AND VALUES OF YOUTH IN KAZAKHSTAN: EVIDENCE FROM A POST-COVID SURVEY AMONG ALMATY UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

The research seeks to understand how religious beliefs and spiritual orientations influence the formation of moral consciousness, social engagement, and personal development among young people. A total of 127 questionnaires were submitted through an online survey distributed via university-based WhatsApp groups in Almaty. After seven questionnaires that did not meet the age criterion of 18-35 years had been excluded, the final analytical sample consisted of 120 respondents. The questionnaire was structured to examine religious identification, religious practices, and the perceived importance of religion in civic and social life. The data were analyzed descriptively using frequencies and percentages automatically generated by Google Forms. Particular attention was paid to the relationship between religious beliefs, value orientations, and the civic identity of university students. The findings indicate that religion remains important in shaping the identity and worldview of many respondents, although its expression varies across the surveyed sample. The study highlights a complex coexistence between traditional religious affiliation and modern secular or humanistic perspectives, underscoring the enduring relevance of religion as a source of meaning, moral orientation, and resilience. Responses concerning post-pandemic changes reflect respondents' retrospective assessments and do not establish a causal effect of COVID-19 on religiosity.