Identity Transformation Amid Russia’s War in Ukraine and Its Influence on Key Sociopolitical Issues

This thesis explores how Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has transformed Ukrainian national, language, and cultural identities, and how these shifts influence public views on major sociopolitical issues. Drawing on 90 in-depth interviews conducted in central and eastern parts of Ukraine with both local residents and internally displaced persons, the study applies thematic analysis to examine how individuals express their identities during wartime. The findings reveal an intensification of national identity, a shift toward greater use of Ukrainian, and a redefinition of cultural identity marked by growing rejection of Russian influence. At the same time, responses vary, with some participants maintaining long-standing language or cultural practices or adopting hybrid positions shaped by context. This study shows how war serves as a catalyst for rethinking Ukrainian identity and as a driving factor shaping broader visions of justice, peace, and the nation’s future by examining the impact of identity transformations on attitudes toward territorial defense, the human costs of war, the viability of negotiations, and the reintegration of occupied territories.

Author

• Sihnaievska, Valentyna

• Identity
• Justice
• Negotiations
• Peace
• Ukraine
• War

Identifier

hdl:1920/15226

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:MARS:1920/15226