Autobiography

Karlygash Moldagalievna Borbasova was born on March 15, 1968, in the village of Aktubek, Ayagoz district, Semipalatinsk region. In 1985, she graduated with honors from the Shynkozha secondary school. From 1988 to 1993, she studied at the Faculty of Philosophy and Political Science of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, majoring in Philosophy. From 1993 to 1995, she worked as a research trainee and lecturer at the Department of Religious Studies of Al-Farabi KazNU. Between 1997 and 1999, she pursued postgraduate studies at the same department. In 1999, she defended her Candidate of Philosophical Sciences dissertation; in 2009, she was awarded the academic title of Associate Professor; in 2011 — Doctor of Philosophical Sciences, and in 2025 — Professor. Her research interests include religious anthropology, new religious movements, esotericism and mysticism, religious consciousness, new religiosity, and the philosophy of religious symbols. She teaches courses in Religious Studies and has authored several educational and methodological textbooks for students. As a Principal Researcher, she participated in fundamental scientific projects funded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Her scientific articles have been published in leading international journals indexed in Thomson Reuters and Scopus databases. From 2005 to 2018, Dr. Borbasova served as the Executive Scientific Secretary of the Al- Farabi KazNU Bulletin. Series of Philosophy, Political Science and Cultural Studies. Since 2021, she has been the Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Al-Farabi KazNU Bulletin. Series of Religious Studies. For her outstanding academic and pedagogical contributions, she has received numerous awards, including: Best Adviser of the Faculty of Philosophy and Political Science (2008); Winner of the national competition “Best University Lecturer of the Republic of Kazakhstan” (2013); Medal commemorating the 80th anniversary of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (2014); Badge of Honor “Y. Altynsarin” from the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan (2024) — for significant achievements in teaching and educating the younger generation. Under her scientific supervision, three doctoral dissertations have been successfully defended in the specialty 6D020600 — Religious Studies. Currently, she supervises the research of one doctoral student in Islamic Studies and two doctoral students in Religious Studies.