Is Gender a Synonym for Feminine or a Useful Category of Historical Analysis? (Review of Women’s and Gender History in Kazakhstan)

Abstract

The article addresses the challenges associated with research in the field of gender and women’s history in Kazakhstan over the last decade. Primarily, historians have focused on women’s history, examining topics such as the role of women in traditional Kazakh society, the women’s emancipation in the USSR, women’s daily life, family and marriage relations, and women’s education. There remains a lack of clear differentiation between women’s studies and gender studies in historical works in Kazakhstan, as most authors use these terms synonymously. A significant portion of the research on the women’s and gender history of Kazakhstan is based on archaeology, ethnography, and the theme of “women and war”. However, in recent years, there has been a transition towards gender history, led by the scientific school of Professor Roza Zharkynbayeva from Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. Professor Zharkynbayeva’s work critically analyzes gender roles and power hierarchies regarding such topics as women and the Second World War, the heroism of women in the rear, women’s toponymy, women’s museums, and history textbooks. The article presents the results of bibliographic research that organizes the contributions of Kazakhstani scientists on women and gender issues.