MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND HIGHER EDUCATION
REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN
SCIENCE COMMITTEE
VALIKHANOV INSTITUTE OF HISTORY AND ETHNOLOGY
Dear colleagues!
On October 22, 2025, Valikhanov Institute of History and Ethnology of the Committee of Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan holds an International scientific and practical conference: “The History of Healing and traditional medicine of Kazakhstan in the XIX – early XX centuries”.
The experience of the recent past regarding the formation of knowledge about Ishan healers in Kazakhstan and Central Asia as a whole need to be rethought based on a scientific interpretation of historical evidence, diverse sources and an interdisciplinary approach. A number of peoples of the Russian Empire who were inclined to a nomadic type of economy and converted to Islam had a social category of Ishan. Those who received education in the madrasah of the Bukhara Khanate/Emirate, for example, had healing skills based on oriental techniques. Being authoritative in the steppe area, they also played an integrating role, becoming representatives of national aspirations. Unfortunately, until now, for a number of reasons, there has not been a complete picture of the origin and functioning of shamanism and applied healing methods in the context of steppe locations. At the same time, the memory of the peoples preserves the names of famous shamans and honors their merits. In this regard, the systematization of evidence about the biographies and intense activities of healers of the past, including a rethinking of the role and place of the social institute of Ishan in Kazakhstan and Central Asia, the analysis of definitions (glossary) meets the objectives of achieving objective knowledge and certainly promoting national values in the context of the study of the recent past.
The purpose of the conference – consideration of relevant issues of modern historical science, presentation of the latest research results, strengthening scientific cooperation, as well as creating a platform for scientific dialogue between researchers from different countries.
The Conference will focus on highlighting the scientific problems of historical science in the following areas:
• Healing as a socio-cultural phenomenon in the Eurasia region. Geographical factor in the history of “steppe” healing: regional and local features. The role of Central Asian madrasahs.;
• The origins of the phenomenon and the methodology of research. Formation of knowledge about Ishan
in the colonial and Soviet period; new approaches;
• The source base for the study of healing and traditional medicine among the Muslim peoples of the Russian Empire. Narratives. The Akyn-Zhyrau legacy. Pedigrees / shezhire, etc.
• Historical personalism. Hereditary ishans are healers. Perpetuation of the merits of healers
• Glossary. “Steppe” ishans.
Working languages of the conference: Kazakh, Russian, Turkish, English.
Date: October 22, 2025 (Astana, Kazakhstan)
Format: offline and online conference based on Zoom (conference ID:……………, password:…………..additional information will be provided).
Professional historians, ethnologists, anthropologists, jurists, philologists, philosophers, employees of archives and museums, young scientists: doctoral students, undergraduates, students, as well as the media are invited to participate in the conference.
The expenses of the participants are at the expense of the sending party.
It is planned to publish the collection of the International Scientific and Practical Conference (there is no publication fee!). Applications and articles for the Conference Proceedings are accepted electronically by e-mail: b.zamzagul75@mail.ru ; gulnar.mukanova1963@gmail.com
The registration form and the materials of the report (articles) /see samples below/ will be accepted no later than October 15, 2025.
For publication of the report (articles, abstracts) materials should be designed in strict accordance with the requirements: the text of the report (related to the conference topic and 7-10 pages long), the registration form and articles should be typed in the MSWord text editor; the file name and applications should be indicated by the author’s surname, for example, “Bayalieva_ Application”, “Bayalieva_ article”.
1. Tables, diagrams, and figures must have a name and be typed in a Windows environment.
2. Page format: A4.
3. Margins: top and bottom – 2 cm each, right – 1 cm, left – 3 cm
4. Font: Times New Roman, KZ Times New Roman, size – 12
5. The line spacing is single.
6. Red line indentation: 1.0 cm.
7. In the center, in lowercase letters (bold), full name of the author(s), academic degree, title (if any)
8. Below is the full name of the institution where the author(s) works, position(s), city, country, e-mail.
9. Under the full name of the author, the title of the report is indicated in the center in CAPITAL LETTERS in bold.
10. One interval after the paragraph indentation is an Abstract (2-3 sentences) and Keywords (5-7 words).
Next is the text of the report (article).
11. The list of references (and sources) is placed at the end of the article and compiled in accordance with the order in which the works are mentioned. References in the text are placed in square brackets in the form of the corresponding number in the List of References, indicating (if necessary) the source page, for example: [1, p. 2], or [1, 2024: 2].
12. Tables, diagrams, and figures must have a name and be typed in a Windows environment. All drawings and photos must have good contrast and a resolution of at least 300 dpi. All illustrations should have end-to-end numbering and a caption that is concise in content. A table or drawing is not numbered if they are the only ones in the text. Tables and figures should be referenced in the text.
13. Abbreviations of words are not allowed, except for the generally accepted ones. Abbreviations are included in the text only after their first mention with a full explanation.
14. It is recommended to link to original articles in highly rated publications; to use sources and modern concepts.
The Organizing Committee of the conference reserves the right to reject materials that do not correspond to the topic of the conference or the requirements
Articles are not reviewed. The authors are responsible for the content of articles and plagiarism.
APPLICATION FOR PARTICIPATION
| Last name, first name, patronymic (in full) | |
| Name of the institution (in full) | |
| Title of the report (article) | |
| Position (in full) | |
| Academic degree | |
| State, city | |
| Contacts (address, phone number, e-mail) | |
Contacts of the Organizing Committee:
Editorial office address:
28 Shevchenko str., Almaty, Valikhanov Institute of History and Ethnology;
11/5, Kabanbay batyr str, Astana. Branch of the Valikhanov Institute of History and Ethnology in Astana
Republic of Kazakhstan, Gyulnar (е-mail: Gulnar.mukanova1963@gmail.com тел.: +7 747 274 64 78, Zamzagul (e-mail: b.zamzagul75@mail.ru; тел.: +7 747 156 83 82).
SAMPLE ARTICLE DESIGN
Bayalieva A.T.,
Candidate of Historical Sciences,
Valikhanov Institute of History and Ethnology, Senior Researcher
Department of Ethnology and Anthropology
ISHANS OF WESTERN KAZAKHSTAN AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY
THE TWENTIETH CENTURY: ANTHROPOLOGICAL EXPEDITIONS
Summary……………………………..
Keywords: ………………….
The text……
……………
Literature and sources:
1. Abuseitova M. H. History of Central Asia: concepts, methodology and new approaches // Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference “Towards new standards in the development of social sciences in Central Asia”. Almaty: Dyke Press, 2006. Pp. 10-17.
2. Zhanabaev K., Maulenov A. About Proto-Turkic and Sumerian parallels in the Kazakh myth // Mysl. 2025. No. 6. Pp. 59-69…
Sincerely,
the Organizing Committee