In Soviet science, the term "nationalism" had definitely negative meaning.

In political science dictionary "nationalism - (fr. nationalism) ideology and politics, the basic principle of which is the thesis of the highest values of the nation its primacy in the state-forming process.

Nationalism differ variety of trends some of which are in conflict with each other.

By nationalistic coloring many contemporary radical movements, a number of trends associated with nationalism, ethnic, cultural and religious intolerance ".

In modern political studies, the term "nationalism" has taken a strong position in the descriptions of not only national, but also global and regional development trends.

A social trajectory as to the globalization and at regionalization does not mean the crisis of national statehood, the more they do not cancel ethnic nationalism in various forms («grassroots activism»).

Ethnic and national problems are among the most acute and painful in the modern world.

"Ethnic paradox", became a kind of reaction to the growing trend of unification of spiritual and material culture in the context of globalization.

Addressing the issue of nationalism and its various forms is mainly due to the notion that the success of the political and socio-economic reforms, democratization and development of sustainable Kazakh identity and civil society impossible in conditions of alienation and dissension.

Nationalism is a serious obstacle to the successful development of a multiethnic society. This causes various kinds of phobias today and extremism.

But nationalism can be the basis of structural and political processes associated primarily with the ethno-national movements aimed at creating a positive ethnic identity, cultural development and identity of peoples.

The dissolution of states stimulated the interest of scientists to issues such as the emergence, evolution, decline and death of nations and forced them to look for alternatives to national forms of social and political organization.

1. XVI сессия Ассамблеи народа Казахстана. «Доверие. Традиции. Транспарентность. Толерантность". 20 октября 2010 года, Астана

2. Тугжанов Е.Л. автореферат диссертации на соискание ученой степени доктора политических наук. Политика межэтнической толерантности и общественного согласия в Республике Казахстан: политологический взгляд. Астана, 2010