Decolonisation and Polarisation: Exploring Ukraine’s Societal Transformation Post-2014 and 2022 in the Shadow of Colonial logics

Abstract

Throughout several years, Ukraine has been a topic of interest discussed not only in the international arena, but even in daily life. After the events of Euromaidan, and the occupation of Ukrainian territories by the Russian Federation took place in 2014, Ukraine embarked on the path of complete decolonisation from the colonial hierarchy that had existed in the country since the time of the Tsarist and Soviet times.

This thesis focuses on studying how decolonisation reforms have affected polarisations in Ukraine after the 2014 Revolution of Dignity and the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022. Since geopolitical and social transformations in Eastern Europe are usually viewed through a realist or constructivist lens, this study offers an alternative approach by grounding research in decolonial and postcolonial theories. Application of these frameworks offered an empirical illustration of the transformation of Ukrainian society as a postcolonial nation fighting for sovereign self-definition and cultural and identity reclamation.

The Decommunisation Laws (2015) adopted as a result of the decolonisation initiative received mixed attitudes among Ukrainians. While the Western regions of the country supported the need to forget and dismantle the Russian and Soviet past, residents of the Eastern and Southern regions did not agree with such policies, which caused certain tensions. Taking into account changes that took place in Ukraine during 2014 – 2022, this study examines the dynamics of polarisation among Ukrainians regarding decommunisation initiatives. Thus, to identify how different interpretations affect shifts in society, the historical context of decolonisation, as well as the narratives that frame the political, media and legislative spheres, were analysed.

The results of this study contribute to the global decolonial discourse by providing new insights and offering new approaches to postcolonial and decolonial studies in the post-Soviet space. In particular, in this paper, decolonisation processes in Ukraine are considered through Galtung's concept of a “positive peace”. It argues that as Ukraine establishes positive peace, it will enhance both peacebuilding scholarship and policy approaches to reinforce national unity and resist imperial resurgence.