Description:
How has the Ukrainian state sought to build national identity over the past decade, and with what results? The premise of the book is that assertions about the role of the state in identity politics should be treated as questions to be debated theoretically and studied empirically instead of assumptions made casually and left unexamined. Each essay begins with a common set of questions. Is it true that overcoming Ukraine's current cleavages is a prerequisite for holding the country together or for reforming it? How have the legacies of history constrained the state's nation-building project? What obstructing cleavages exist, and what sorts of national identity might provide a solid foundation for building an overarching Ukrainian national identity? Statistical analysis of mass attitudes, case studies on culture, education, the military, and foreign policy provide a detailed look at efforts to promote national identity, with surprising conclusions. Taken together the essays provide an overdue evaluation of the role of the state in nation building.
Review Quotes:
"This is by far the best book for anyone trying to understand the birth pangs of a nation and state in post-Soviet Eastern Europe. Ukraine is the largest such unit, and this volume is essentially a presentation of the clashing views of Ukrainian intellectual and political leaders about the direction nation-building should take and who should be the legitimate builders. . . . Essential. Upper-division undergraduates and above." --Choice
"This book will be useful for students of political science who are interested in policy questions involving nationality and identifying politics in Ukraine." --Slavic Review