Abstract

Aitys is a very important part of Kazakh oral literature and culture, which has historically played a key role in expressing collective values, public opinion, and social critique. As a genre of improvised poetic competition accompanied by the dombra, it combines elements of rhetoric, satire, and performance, allowing aityskers to engage directly with social, political, and cultural realities. Their performances often address current issues, reflect moral values, and, importantly, provide space for both explicit and implicit critique of authority.

This research is aimed at analyzing the thematic transformation of aitys. Following Dubuisson (2010), this study approaches aitys as a space that is not fully controlled by dominant ideology, but rather one where performers retain a certain degree of agency and are able to negotiate, reinterpret, and sometimes challenge power structures through poetic expression.

The empirical basis of the study consists of a corpus of aitys texts drawn from the Anthology of Kazakh Art. The analysis combines thematic analysis with automated text analysis methods. By focusing on the quantitative dimension, this study seeks to complement existing research on aitys, which has been predominantly qualitative.

Through a comparative analysis of texts from different historical periods, the study examines how key themes, motives, and rhetorical strategies change depending on the socio-political context. Particular attention is paid to the ways in which akyns express identity, articulate social criticism, and adapt to ideological constraints. The findings are expected to demonstrate that aitys is not only a form of cultural heritage, but also a dynamic medium that reflects broader social transformations. The use of automated text analysis makes it possible to identify patterns and shifts in narratives that are less visible in traditional approaches, contributing to a deeper understanding of the evolution of aitys and its role in society.