Blog post 1

 Jake wagoner

January 24, 2024

The national self

The National Self 

National identity may be defined as the way in which an individual perceives themselves to be a member of a certain country. Likewise, in regard to the sense of belonging or the sense of oneness that one has with the other people who are a part of their country. The feeling of togetherness and loyalty that exists between a country and its residents is integral to the formation of a nation's national identity.

When seen from this perspective, Ukraine has undergone a great deal of change throughout the course of its history. Originally coming from eastern Europe, Ukraine was once governed by Poland, Romania, and Czechoslovakia during the time period between the two World Wars. Afterwards, Ukraine became a member of the Soviet Union as the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (S.S.R.). Ukraine then made a declaration of independence on July 16, 1990, However, the country did not achieve its independence until after the collapse of the Soviet Union on August 24, 1991. As a result of the breakdown of the Soviet Union in December 1991, Ukraine attained complete independence. This decision was confirmed by the approval of the people in a vote that was conducted on December 1st, 1991. Because they are such a young nation, a significant amount of their culture originates from their Russian counterparts. And the nationalism that had been flowing from their brothers who had been in the Soviet Union. Due to the fact that this would result in somewhat recent disagreements with Russia, on November 13, 2021, Russia would line up on the border of Ukraine with around 100,000 troops, although they would not formally invade the nation until February 24, 2022. This would be a high-stakes battle for Ukraine, given that Russia is widely recognized as one of the most powerful nations in the world; but, the Ukrainian people were not yet prepared to give up. The people of Ukraine came together to create a common front, and with their passion and love for their nation, they were able to reclaim Kiev from Russia. This unity has allowed Ukraine to make remarkable progress (Central Intelligence Agency world factbook).

There is a minority of Ukrainians that belong to Ukrainian Greek-Catholicism, which is an organization that combines Byzantine religious rituals, Catholic religion, and Ukrainian culture. The majority of Ukrainians are members of the Christian Orthodox Church. This singular identity serves as a powerful reaction to Vladimir Putin's rejection of the Ukrainian nation, which he has been making. The weakening of Ukrainian legality by Putin brings to mind the suppressions that occurred during the Soviet period. In particular, Putin is targeting the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, which was forced to remain underground for many decades. For Ukrainian Greek-Catholics, the communal memory of Soviet repression is still very much present.

A strong supporter of Ukrainians, the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church continues to do so despite the historical problems it faces. This includes priests and professors who bravely fight for Ukrainian independence, as well as military chaplains who provide sacraments and spiritual support to troops, nuns and relief organizations that provide accommodation and help to persons who have been internally displaced, and military chaplains who provide emotional support to soldiers. In particular, the project intends to investigate the connection that exists between the national identity of Ukraine and its religious identity, particularly in the wake of the Russo-Ukrainian War (long, Madeleine)

Andrew Wilson gave a talk in 1999 in which he talked about how complicated Ukrainian national identity is by looking at different parts of Ukrainian culture. Wilson said that the Soviet census data, which divides Ukrainians into set racial groups, doesn't show how complex Ukrainian identity really is. There is a big group in the middle, often called the "other Ukraine," that he called for in a more complex plan. It is located between Ukrainians and Russians.This middle group, which makes up a big part of the people, was seen as important for understanding possible votes in Ukrainian society. Wilson pushed for changing the census model to include people with multiple names or language choice along with race. He said that studies that looked at people with multiple identities showed that about 27% of Ukrainians said they were both Ukrainian and Russian. When language choice was taken into account, the same middle ground of 30–35 percent emerged: they identified as Ukrainian by ethnicity but preferred Russian (Popson, Nancy)

Ukraine's national identity has been shaped by its Eurovision dreams. To do this, we will look at the literary aspects of Ruslana's performance, focusing on the lyrics of "Wild Dances" and how they affect audiences both in Ukraine and around the world. Freedom and independence are two ideas that are linked to the European Enlightenment and are supported by the song. These ideas appear in the English-language songs, which are in line with the values that are common in the modern Western world.The words draw attention to how important the parts of the song that are sung in Ukrainian are. These parts talk about ideas like not caring about yourself, wanting someone else, and a type of gender that makes you think of the past. If people at home know how to show their feelings in a Romantic way, they will probably enjoy the words of the Ukrainian song. There are parts of the song that are more meaningful because they  come from Hutsul music. These repeated phrases, along with the switch between English and Ukrainian, connect the song to ideas from before society. In general, "Wild Dances" is seen as a statement of support for Western values by people all over the world, as well as a strong case for Ukrainian identity that combines technology and tradition.  A big part of the study is looking at how Ruslana's performance, through its linguistic strategies, shapes how people around the world think of Ukraine (Pavlyshyn, M. 2006).

In conclusion, Ukraine's national identity has changed a lot over the years because of changes in the country's history, outside impacts, and new problems. From its beginnings in Eastern Europe to times when Poland, Romania, and Czechoslovakia ruled it from the outside. Recent problems with Russia, including the fear of an attack in 2022, showed how strong and united the Ukrainian people are. They fought for their city, Kiev, with a strong love for their country. The part of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, which is a unique mix of Byzantine customs, Catholicism, and Ukrainian culture, is a strong sign of opposition to Putin's refusal of Ukrainian nationhood. Andrew Wilson's ideas show how complicated Ukrainian identity is, with a large group of people in the middle who are both Ukrainian and Russian. As shown by Ruslana's "Wild Dances," Ukraine's Eurovision dreams help shape the country's character by promoting freedom, independence, and a mix of modern Western ideals with traditional elements. Ukraine is still trying to figure out who it is, taking strength from its history and the spirit of its people as a whole.

Work cited

Pavlyshyn, M. (2006). Envisioning Europe: Ruslana’s Rhetoric of Identity. The Slavic and East European Journal, 50(3), 469–485. https://doi.org/10.2307/20459314

Central Intelligence Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/ukraine/. Accessed 31 Jan. 2024. 

Triandafyllidou, A. (1998). National identity and the 'other'. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 21(4), 593-612.

What Is the Meaning of National Identity? (n.d.). Retrieved January 22, 2021, Reference.com, https://www.reference.com/world-view/meaning-national-identity-a6313ef683d99c84

long, Madeleine. “Keeping Faith: The Intersection of Religion and National Identity in Ukraine.” Pulitzer Center, 6 Dec. 2022, pulitzercenter.org/projects/keeping-faith-intersection-religion-and-national-identity-ukraine. 

Popson, Nancy. “Ukrainian National Identity: The ‘Other Ukraine.’” Wilson Center, www.wilsoncenter.org/publication/ukrainian-national-identity-the-other-ukraine. Accessed 31 Jan. 2024.