Shestakova K. Ethnic identification on the Ukrainian Borderland.

The dissertation is dedicated to the process of ethnic identification which conditionally investigated by the spatial organisation of a society. The application of the concept of a borderland to ethnic identification processes is proved, the theoretical bases of the analysis of ethnic identification in conditions of a border zone are allocated. The significant attention is given to the analysis of a borderland as multivariate space, namely, geographical, social, cultural and ethnic. It is established, that identity and identification processes on similar districts occur at a symbolical level. The regional symbolical space is created, crossborderland regions with own identity in which local or regional identification dominates over others are formed. Features of functioning of the Ukrainian-Polish, Ukrainian-Romanian and Ukrainian-Russian border zone functioning are investigated. In particular, it is established, that the basis of ethnic identification on the Ukrainian-Polish border zone is language andreligion and the basis of ethnic identification on Ukrainian-Romanian and Ukrainian-Russian is mainly language act. Phenomena of the Ukrainian borderland reflect tendencies typical of the majority of Central and East-Europian borderlands. They are evidence of complexity of ethnic communities' development in borderland conditions. Key words: social identity, ethnic identification, a borderland, cultural and social space, the Ukrainian borderland.