CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF DISCOURSES ON ABAI QUNANBAYULI IN MODERN RESEARCH: NATIONAL IDENTITY, IDEOLOGIES AND INTERPRETATION ISSUES

Abstract

The article explores how the Kazakh national icon and poet Abai Qunanbayuli is portrayed in contemporary academic discourse. As a case study, it focuses on four key sources as part of an extended national project to explore the narratives surrounding Abai, aiming to identify why he is distanced from the national identity of younger generations and remains relatively unknown or misunderstood. The research employs qualitative critical discourse analysis, examining the ideologies and values promoted in the selected works, and is framed by the concept of symbolic capital. It focuses on how Abai is referred to and how his name is exploited to endorse certain viewpoints and legitimize certain ideas on the political and social topics. The findings of the study are the following: the majority of sources traditionally portray Abai as a cultural symbol and icon idealising him and showing him as an uncritical veneration; the discourses use Abai’s name and legacy to legitimize their viewpoints and recommendations; there are also multiple fallacies and irrelevant assumptions regarding Abai’s intended messages and his historical identity. The paper makes an attempt to explain why there is a gap between Abai’s creativity/personality and new generatio. We address sensitive issues of overusing and misusing Abai’s name as well as misinterpreting historical facts around his personality which might contradict each other and evoke misunderstanding and doubts in anything written about the poet and his creativity. The article advocates for careful consideration, and even selective censorship, when invoking Abai’s name in academic publications. Theoretical significance of the research lies in its contribution to the field of Abai Studies (Абайтану – Kaz.), critical discourse analysis, particularly as it pertains to the construction of national identity and the exploitation of symbolic figures in political and academic narratives.