Professor Temirbek Kozhakeyev and alash studies

Abstract

The article examines the contribution of Temirbek Kozhakeyev, a prominent literary scholar, Doctor of Philological Sciences and Professor, to the establishment and development of Alash studies. The aim of the article is to assess the scholar’s research into the literary, cultural and sociopolitical heritage of Kazakh intellectuals of the early twentieth century and to determine the significance of his efforts to introduce their creative legacy into scholarly discourse. Particular attention is paid to the recovery of the heritage of Alash intellectuals whose names and works were excluded from academic research for many years during the Soviet period. The article discusses Professor Kozhakeyev’s investigations based on archival materials and periodicals published in the 1920s and 1930s, with special emphasis on his studies of the literary, scholarly and cultural activities of Nazir Torekulov. The significance of his books Zhyl Qustary, Kok Sengirler and Sara Sozdin Sardarlary in the historiography of Alash studies is highlighted. The article also examines Kozhakeyev’s contribution to the study and dissemination of the literary heritage of Alash intellectuals, including the textbook anthology jointly prepared by Akhmet Baitursynuly and Telzhan Shonanuly. It emphasises that his scholarly investigations sought to recover neglected aspects of Kazakh literary and cultural history under the ideological restrictions of the Soviet period. Attention is also given to his teaching career and his role in educating generations of Kazakh journalists. The article concludes that Professor Temirbek Kozhakeyev made a significant contribution to the development of Alash studies and research on the legacy of Nazir Torekulov. The scholarly and educational significance of the article lies in its historical reassessment of the Alash intellectual heritage and its emphasis on the continuity of national spiritual and cultural values.