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The continuation of a social structure depends on the inclusion of new members into a society. However, this inclusion is not just a statistical measure. Internalization of values of the social structure is also necessary for the inclusion of new members. This process is termed as 'socialization'. Political systems must attach importance to political socialization for their legitimization. The young individual, who is a component of political culture, would also become a defender of the system. The individual in the Soviet Union acquired the consciousness of citizenship within the hierarchical structure through the internalization of values since the childhood. In this context, organizational structures, namely 'oktyabryat', 'pioner' and 'komsomol' in which children and youth would be involved according to their age and education, were formatted. This process functioned as transfer of ideology and it aimed at shaping young individuals according to Soviet ideology. In this context, practices of good citizenship were defined according to the degree of embracement of Soviet ideology and of loyality to this ideology. To achieve these elements, there was a transmission of ideology from the center in all spheres of life. This article aims to present how political socialization in the Soviet Union took place in Kyrgyzstan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epic as a form of verbal expression is an important area in folkloric studies. The importance of this expression depends on its role in process of transmission of tradition. Based on this particular feature, epic goes beyond the folkloric field and becomes an object of sociology. In this study, the role of the most important saga of Kyrgyz, Manas in Kyrgyz identity construction after Independence is discussed. How Manas Epic is utilized during the construction of the Kyrgyz identity is examined within course schedule of different level of primary and secondary education. In this study, seven advices that are specified by Akayev in Manas and the effect of these advices on political socialization process are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]