An international conference dedicated to Academician Seit Kaskabassov’s 85th anniversary was held at ENU

On November 14, 2025, The Eurasian National University hosted the international scientific and practical conference "Folklore Studies and Literary Studies: Current issues and New Paradigms", dedicated to Academician Seit Askarovich Kaskabassov’s 85th anniversary.

The event was attended by heads of the Presidential Administration and central government agencies, members of Parliament, government and public figures, as well as poets, writers, famous scientists and the daughter of the Hero of the day, Korlan Seitkyzy, who specially arrived from Almaty.

The conference was led by scientist Serikzat Duysengazy. ENU’s Acting Rector, Ardak Beisenbai, spoke about Seit Kaskabasov’s significant contribution to state, public, scientific and pedagogical activities, conveying the warm congratulatory words of ENU Rector Yerlan Sydykov.

Ardak Beisenbai noted the scientist’s achievements in the creation of the “Eurasia” Research Center and the Faculty of Oriental Studies at ENU, as well as his leading role in the publication of the 100-volume Babalar Sozi.

"The difficult and eventful path of an outstanding scientist is an example for the younger generation. Having moved to the capital of the Alash land, to the expanses of Saryarka, he devoted himself to the development of national spirituality, science, art and culture. In 1997-2001, he initiated the creation of the Eurasia Scientific Center and the Faculty of Oriental Studies, and in 2012-2019 he headed the Kazakh Literature Department with great honor," Ardak Bakytuly said.

Further, congratulations were read out to the conference participants by the State Adviser of the Republic of Kazakhstan Yerlan Karin, Chairman of the Mazhilis of the Parliament Yerlan Koshanov, Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek, Minister of Culture and Information Aida Balayeva. Congratulatory letters from regional akims, senators, university rectors and heads of scientific organizations were also read out.

Within the framework of the conference, an anniversary video prepared by the ENU Information Center was shown, and leading scientists in the field of literary studies and folklore studies made presentations on the following topics: “Seit Kaskabasov — the Phenomenon of Folklore Studies”; “The Scientist Who Preserved the National Heritage”; “Academician Seit Kaskabasov and the Transformation of the Subjects of the Ancient East”; “Figures of Alash on National Literature”; “Academician Seit Kaskabasov: Issues of Spiritual and Linguistic Values”; “Ballad Poetry: Research Methods”; “Some Questions of the Correlation of Folklore and History”; “Kazakh Mythology in Seit Kaskabassov’s Research”; "The teacher's way: unity of will and wisdom".

The plenary session was followed by breakout work organized in three directions under the guidance of doctors of philology and professors:

• "Academician Seit Kaskabassov and the Challenges of Modern Folklore Studies";
• "Seit Kaskabassov's Legacy and Ideas of Statehood";
• "Seit Kaskabassov's Research and Interdisciplinary Integration".

Within the framework of the conference, a portrait of academician S.A. Kaskabassov was presented in the gallery "Outstanding Literary Critics", an exhibition of his scientific works, bibliography, books about his scientific school, as well as a collection of conference materials.

For reference

Public figure, academician of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan Seit Kaskabassov devoted his life to the development of the Kazakh science.

In 1969, he defended his candidate’s thesis on "Kazakh Fairy Tales", and in 1989 he defended his doctoral thesis in Moscow on "Genres of Kazakh Folk Prose", raising national folklore to a new scientific level.

He worked as a scientific secretary of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR, a senior researcher at the M.O. Auezov Institute of Literature and Art, the Institute of World Literature of the USSR Academy of Sciences, and held senior positions in the Office of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. For many years he headed the Institute of Literature and Art of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

In the 1990s, he actively participated in the rehabilitation of repressed Alash figures. As head of the Center for the Sociology of Political Processes at the Central Committee, he headed the working group on the rehabilitation of victims of political repression.

In 1992, as Chairman of the Higher Attestation Commission, he made a significant contribution to the formation of the national certification system for scientific personnel.

The scientist is the author of fundamental works: "Altyn sandyk", "Yel Kazynasy — Yeski Soz", "Kazakh Fairy Tale", "Kazakh Folk Prose", "Abai and folklore", "Altyn Arkau", "Zhanazyk", "Kazakh Love Songs", "Kazakh Literature of XV–XVIII Centuries", "Yelzerde", etc., who discovered new directions in folklore and literary studies.

He initiated the publication of the ten-volume "History of Kazakh Literature", the three-volume "History of Kazakh Art", the ten-volume "Yerzhurek", the five-volume "Anthology of Kazakh Music" and the 20-volume "Literary Monuments".

Seit Kaskabassov's scientific contribution is highly appreciated by the state: he is a laureate of the State Prize of the Republic of Kazakhstan, winner of the Sh. Ualikhanov, Zhambyl, Makhambet prizes, was awarded "Kurmet" and "Parassat" orders.