Democratic Political Values of Youth in Kazakhstan and Turkey (a Comparative Analysis)

Democratic Political Values of Youth in Kazakhstan and Turkey (a Comparative Analysis)


Zhampetova A.O.

PhD in Political Science, Assist. Prof., Department of Media Communications and History of Kazakhstan, International University of Information Technology, Almaty, Kazakhstan aygerimzhan003@gmail.com

Alkan Y.S.

PhD in Constitutional Law, Assoc. Prof., Department of Political Science and Public Administration, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Türkiye, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Türkiye. yavuzselimalkan@akdeniz.edu.tr

Dernek O.K.

PhD in Political Science, Assoc. Prof., Department of Political Science and Public Administration, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Türkiye, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Türkiye. okudan@akdeniz.edu.tr

ID of the Article: 10715


For citation:

Zhampetova A.O., Alkan Y.S., Dernek O.K. Democratic Political Values of Youth in Kazakhstan and Turkey (a Comparative Analysis). Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya [Sociological Studies]. 2025. No 10. P. 155-161



Abstract

This paper presents a comparative analysis of survey results on the political attitudes of university students in Kazakhstan (N = 616) and Turkey (N = 414), with a particular focus on how perceptions of democracy reflect different degrees of youth engagement in political processes. The findings reveal significant differences in levels of trust in democratic institutions, shaped by the distinct historical paths of the two Turkic-speaking countries. Turkish youth demonstrate a firm commitment to democratic values but also express considerable dissatisfaction with the existing political system. In contrast, Kazakhstani youth show less interest in democratic practices but greater loyalty to current political arrangements. These results illustrate that even “brotherly nations” can differ markedly in their political culture – an important consideration for sociologists in various countries, including Russia.


Keywords
Kazakhstan; Türkiye; political values; democracy, youth; political system; political culture

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Content No 10, 2025