University scientists about the phenomenon of patriotism and its features in the context of modern development of Kazakhstani society

A.A. Uyzbayeva [64] considers the phenomenon of patriotism and its features in the context of modern development of Kazakhstani society. The monograph of the scientist is distinguished by a socio-philosophical understanding of the actual task of the present and future - the foundations of patriotism and patriotic education: the role of patriotism in the system of social relations, the influence of regional characteristics on the formation of patriotism, methods and approaches to solve the problems of patriotism and patriotic education of younger generation. «Patriotism as a social phenomenon is the cementing basis for the existence and development of the nation and statehood» [64, p. 86]. «Patriotic education provides the formation of citizenship and patriotism, the development of socially significant values in the process of education and training; implies mass patriotic work organized and carried out by government agencies, social movements and organizations, through the involvement of the media, scientific and other organizations, creative unions aimed at the formation of patriotic consciousness» [64, p. 73].

The scientist considers the formation of feelings of patriotism in stages. The first step in the formation of patriotism occurs simultaneously with the formation of kindred feelings for one's family. The second stage of patriotism is formed by cultivating love for the «small Motherland», that is, for the place where a person was born, grew up, where he spent his childhood. Without a feeling of a small homeland, there is no great patriotism.

The scientist emphasizes the purely subjective, personal nature of the concept of «small Motherland»: the «small Motherland» can be a village, a city in which childhood was spent; school, a teacher who taught to read and write; classmates with whom the years of childhood passed [64, p. 40].

The third step in the formation of patriotism is the education of love for the «great Motherland», that is, for the country as a whole, society, people, history, culture, and traditions. The basis of patriotic education is the education of national identity [64, p. 74].

Patriotism, citizenship and ethnicity are interdependent and are in dynamic correlation and unity. Their consideration is of decisive importance in the formation of the education system. Patriotism, combined with civic consciousness and ethnicity, plays the role of a bonding factor that neutralizes negative phenomena and processes and acts as a powerful stimulus for the positive development of the individual and society as a whole [65].

Patriotism in Kazakhstan has a number of characteristic features due to the uniqueness of historical development, the very fate of the Kazakh people, their culture, lifestyle, mentality, national identity, the wealth of ethnic groups, the immensity of the territory, the diversity of nature, climate, and so on. One of the distinguishing characteristics are ethno-regional manifestations of patriotism, which can be explained by:

- different attitudes towards the values of patriotism, which include the history and traditions of the people, territory, way of life, state policy and state language;

- internal region-forming factors: the history of the region; state and territorial structure; geographical and climatic conditions, natural resources; population, its dynamics, settlement and urbanization; ethnic composition of the population; economic and geographical condition; labor resources.

- external region-forming factors: interregional and international relations with Russia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, China, the neighborhood and friendship with which determine, along with the traditional culture of ancestors, the formation of the national mentality, national identity, psychology, structure and life of the Kazakhs [64, p.107].

The analysis of scientific works devoted to the problem of the formation of patriotism allows us to conclude that patriotism should be understood as a synthesis of citizenship, spirituality and social activity of the individual and society, realizing their activity in the context of the priorities of Motherland.

Based on the conclusions of researchers that «the feeling of patriotism does not arise on its own, it is nurtured, instilled in the individual by society and the family» [64], the value basis for the formation of patriotic feelings, in our opinion, are national forms of education, folklore, written monuments of culture that have evolved over the centuries. In educational institutions, it is necessary to organize the educational process in the way that it would be possible to show the civic qualities of a person in a given situation.