On what means do historians live? PhD

The first participant of the questionnaire is a PhD Zhaksylyk Sabitov.

"I have always wanted to be a historian. My grandfather was also a historian, and he gave me Mukhammedzhan Tynyshpayev’s book written in 1925 that I read many times. And at school after reading it for the nth time Tynyshpayev’s book I came to conclusion that he was not right in the determination of the personality of Alash khan.And perhaps it was my first scientific insight which only in 10 years resulted in to the article about Alsh khan whom I identify with Uru khan, the forefather of Dzhanibek and Kerey. In 1999 I finished the school, but when I had to choose the specialty I chose Political Science as it was a new specialty and as I thought the contest for that specialty had to be less. The fact that I studied there for 10 years (5 – as a specialist, 2 years – Master’s and 3 years of Doctoral) does not raise in me regret about that as on the one hand Political Science gives a wider view on the methodology of humanitarian sciences. And on the other hand, the studies on the related specialty did not narrow any frames while doing research of this or that occasion or biography of a certain personality. Since 2007 I returned to history and started to write my first articles. And starting with 2009 I annually travel to international conferences in Russia and Tatarstan dedicated to various aspects of medieval history of nomads in Eurasia. These conferences give the huge scientific growth, and it seems to me that because of them I became that person who I am today".

"The art of the historian can be compared with the profession of the investigator. In both professions on the basis of certain difficulties and fragmentary facts it is needy to restore the picture of the past. That is, the history must be involved by the person who sincerely loves to solve riddles on the basis of small number of facts and evidence. Herewith, it is worthy to note that a historian for me is not work, but calling as mainly I get the salary not for the practice in history of medieval ages, but for teaching of other humanitarian disciplines".

“When I entered the Doctoral studies I started to be engaged with science, prestige of science in Kazakhstan was not high. It was considered that people engage with science who can not find a better place. Thankfully, the prestige of profession a bit grew, but anyway it seems to me that the status of a scientific worker, first material has to be higher. And at that, in Kazakhstan should be created real scientific environment. It is in my opinion, the chief problem of science in Kazakhstan in general, and among historians in particular. There are scientists but there is no scientific environment. In normal science the open  criticism and open collision is a norm. As a classic said that two people think the same way, it means that only one of them thinks. In Kazakhstan the major part of scientists did not get used to the scientific dispute and often clashes between scientists are of not scientific, but administrative character, that is in itself not correct. That comes from the scientific environment”.

“The PhD salary rate in a national university is a bit lower than average salary in the country. Fortunately, I have one and half rates. In other universities not having the status of the national one, it is mainly much worse. University workers get no big money, certain students working as tutors in the English language, get more salary than university teachers”.

“Besides teaching at university I also have sources of income”.

“More than half of my salary goes to the purchase of books, trips to international conferences (fortunately, for the last time often my expenses – trips to conferences are covered by organizers) and expenses for genetic research of the origin of Kazakhs and other Turkic people. I am grateful to my wife for tolerance and understanding in this issue solving the issue on the accommodation in Astana. Perhaps, the support from the side of my mother, wife and brother allowed me to concentrate on science. As it was told in the Soviet time, science is the satisfaction of personal curiosity at the expense of the state . In this case, I could be engaged with science exceptionally thanks to the support of my family”.

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