A scientific lecture featuring a foreign professor was organized for doctoral students at KazNU

Starting from November 7, 2025, several weeks of scientific and methodological seminars were held for doctoral students of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University by the Department of Religious Studies and Cultural Studies as part of the SDG-related activities. The seminars were conducted by Professor John Mahoney from Kansas State University (USA).
The seminar program was based on Professor Mahoney’s lecture series titled “Religious Freedom in U.S. Law and Politics”, which aimed to provide a comprehensive analysis of the historical, legal, and political dimensions of religious freedom in the United States.

In the initial sessions, the professor explained the basic constitutional principles regulating religious freedom in the U.S., namely the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment. He also addressed the place of freedom of belief within liberal political theory, highlighting the influence of John Locke’s «A Letter Concerning Toleration» (1689) on American constitutionalism.
Professor Mahoney emphasized that freedom of religion is not merely a legal norm but an essential component of the broader liberal concept of liberty, closely interconnected with freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and the right to peaceful assembly.

The seminar encouraged doctoral students to view the issue of religious freedom not only within the American context but also from the perspective of contemporary global religious policy, constitutional law, and interfaith relations. Topics such as Kazakhstan’s model of secularism, the legal status of religious organizations, and mechanisms for protecting freedom of belief were actively discussed in comparison with American experience.

Overall, Professor John Mahoney’s seminars significantly enhanced the academic preparation of KazNU PhD students, expanding their scholarly understanding of religious freedom, law, and state–religion relations.
In addition, the professor shared his experience regarding the requirements for publishing in Scopus-indexed journals, explaining how to properly structure a research article suitable for international academic publications. He gave detailed guidance on key aspects such as formulating the title, composing an effective abstract and literature review, presenting a clear methodology, writing a logically structured analysis section, and meeting the stylistic guidelines of academic journals.

The first-year doctoral student in the Religious Studies program, A. S. Shalkarova.