About the Symposium
The strategy for developing the rule of law today is not limited to institutional reforms; it also requires a profound rethinking of its spiritual and philosophical foundations. These foundations are closely connected with the cultural and legal heritage of the Great Steppe.
In this context, the II International Symposium “Philosophy of the Great Steppe and Legal Culture”, to be held in the city of Turkistan, is presented as an intellectual platform dedicated to studying the Great Steppe not merely as a geographical space, but as an integral civilizational system that shaped the legal thinking of nomadic and Turkic-speaking peoples.
The following fundamental areas are proposed as the conceptual basis of the Symposium:
Philosophy of the Great Steppe and Constitutional Foundations:
The ideas of “freedom, equality and harmony” enshrined in the Preamble to the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan are regarded as a continuation, in terms of values, of the customary law of the Great Steppe, which developed within the nomadic civilization and was based on the principles of justice, consensus and social responsibility.
These legal foundations include “Kasym Khan’s Qasqa Zholy”, “Esim Khan’s Eski Zholy” and Tauke Khan’s “Zheti Zhargy”. They are not merely historical documents, but also manifestations of the normative culture of nomadic society.
In this context, the law of the Great Steppe is regarded as a customary law system, incorporating precedent-based and oral legal practices, naturally intertwined with the lifestyle, ethics and worldview of Turkic-speaking peoples.
Within the framework of the Symposium, the axiological (value-based) foundations of the contemporary legal system will be analyzed from the perspective of the legal culture of the Great Steppe and the traditions of nomadic democracy.
The teachings of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi on “inner perfection” and “restraining the self” are considered, within the ethical and legal traditions of the Great Steppe, as the spiritual foundation for the internal regulation of human behavior. His legacy resonates with a tradition that places moral principles above formal norms and gives priority to the moral authority of biys and social harmony. This offers a model of transition from external control to internal responsibility.
The principle of “Law and Order” proposed by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, is considered from the perspective of revitalizing the legal culture of the Great Steppe. In the steppe, order was ensured not only through legal norms, but also through social control and an established system of values.
During the Symposium, issues concerning the integration of traditional steppe customary law with contemporary legal institutions and the concept of “Just Kazakhstan” will be discussed.
This academic platform is aimed at an interdisciplinary study of the Great Steppe through the perspective of legal anthropology (the field of study examining the relationship between people and law), as a source of cultural norms and models of social organization.
We invite you to participate in a broad scholarly dialogue aimed at integrating the legal heritage of nomadic civilization into contemporary legal science and practice.
OBJECTIVES OF THE INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM
Scientific and Academic Objectives
The main scientific objective of the Symposium is to reconsider the customary law of the Great Steppe as an integral legal phenomenon and to introduce it into contemporary legal philosophy.
Within this framework:
the customary law of nomadic society will be comprehensively analyzed (the institution of biys, the töre system, and mechanisms of regulation through consensus);
the legal culture of the Great Steppe will be studied as a synthesis of oral norms, traditions and social practices;
dispute resolution mechanisms (consensus, authority and moral influence) will be examined;
scientific foundations for the systematization and revitalization of the customary law of the Turkic world will be developed;
the relationship between the concepts of “justice”, “kut”, “töre” and “kisi haqy” and contemporary legal categories will be explored.
This approach makes it possible to regard law as a cultural system that emerged within the conditions of a nomadic way of life and continues to maintain its relevance today.
Cultural and Civilizational Objectives
The objective is to revitalize the Great Steppe as a cultural and legal space that shaped the values of justice, mutual responsibility and social harmony.
In this regard:
the Great Steppe will be considered as a source of the legal culture of Turkic-speaking peoples;
nomadic customary law will be regarded as a living tradition preserved in contemporary mediation practices;
the institution of biys will be analyzed as a distinctive model of public justice based on trust and authority;
law will be understood as a part of the cultural code and identity of society.
Educational and Applied Objectives
The Symposium will be aimed at:
developing educational courses dedicated to the legal culture of the Great Steppe and nomadic legal systems;
introducing educational models based on the tradition of biys;
integrating historical and legal heritage into contemporary legal practice.
International Cooperation and Strategic Objectives
The main strategic objective is to establish recognition of the Great Steppe as an independent legal civilization and to introduce it into global scholarly discourse.
In this regard:
the customary law of Turkic-speaking peoples will be studied as part of world legal culture;
a common platform for the study of nomadic legal systems will be established;
cultural and legal cooperation among Turkic states will be strengthened.
CONCLUDING STATEMENT
The proposed Symposium is an academic platform dedicated to studying the Great Steppe as a unique civilizational phenomenon in which culture, law and way of life are organically interconnected.
The customary law of nomadic society is considered not as an archaic heritage, but as a flexible and viable legal model based on justice, dialogue and social harmony.
The philosophy of the Great Steppe is regarded as a strategic resource for developing a contemporary legal culture that combines tradition and innovation.