This thesis presents a study of the influence of informal institutions in the process of formation of regional identities in Donbas. The relevance of this study lies primarily in the emphasis on the meaning in a broad sense of the cultural component of identity, which provides a more convincing explanation of the political institutions’ formation and transformation processes through the influence of a certain cognitive set (in our case – through regional self-identification of Donbas citizens) on the strategies of choice and action of individuals in the modern Ukrainian political process. Since formal political institutions in Ukraine are ineffective, the analysis of informal practices as important sustainable components that are systematically reproduced within identities as well as determining the nature of the interaction of informal practices with formal institutions are of particular interest. The study of the regional identities of Donbas phenomenon is also an extremely important practical task in the context of the armed Russian-Ukrainian confrontation.
The scientific novelty of the obtained results lies a comprehensive study of the formation of regional identities of Donbas through the institutional-value prism of analysis, based on which a map of recommendations for policy development for effective reforms’ implementation and democratic institutions building, as well as policies in peacebuilding and reintegration is developed.
The obtained results, which are marked by scientific novelty, are specified in the following provisions. For the first time, the concept of institutional intertextuality was proposed and substantiated as an organizational principle of informal institutions, which allows to conceptualize the a priori predetermination of this phenomenon, which limits and predicts the specifics of informal institutions that emerge in a particular society. The institutional-value approach to the study of the phenomenon of identity, which involves the analysis of informal practices and values, is proposed and substantiated. The interrelationship and interaction of informal institutions, values and identity on the case of regional identities of Donbas are comprehensively studied.
The classification of identity types, conceptualization and definition of informal institutions through the introduction of the category of identity are improved. The application of P. Bourdieu's concept of habitus, which formed the basis for the development of an institutional-value approach to the study of the identity phenomenon, was further developed. The application of the concepts of territorial space and the space of belonging of S. Rokan and D. Urwin were also further developed. The regional identity of Donbas was analyzed as «mostly territorial space, but with strong signs of belonging space». It has been shown that within the information discourses and narratives of the hybrid Ukrainian-Russian confrontation, Russian propaganda presents the regional identity of Donbas as «mostly a space of belonging». Based on the classification of informal institutions proposed by O. Stoyko, as well as the classification of research methods of territorial identity Y. Oliynyk and O. Hnatiuk, the principles of research of identity through the study of informal institutions are developed.
Manifestations of regional identities of Donbas at the institutional and value levels are studied. The practical significance and functions of regional identities of Donbas under the conditions of Russian-Ukrainian armed confrontation are studied. It is analyzed how the principle of mutual exclusion «either they or we» was taken as a basis by Russian propaganda to characterize Ukraine's policy, creating a narrative «opposition of the regional community to the rest of Ukraine», when through the resuscitation and renewal of numerous Soviet myths and mythologists image of separatist Donbas was created.
The comparative analysis of regional identities of Donbas studies carried out during 2014-2021 is done and the basic tendencies of development and/or transformation of regional identities of Donbas during 2014-2021 years are defined. It is proved that the study of identity’s changes in the conditions of war is extremely important both for understanding the steps of peacebuilding and for developing a strategy for state development after the end of the armed conflict.
Comprehensive recommendations for the development of policies in the field of peacebuilding and reintegration on the basic concepts of ontological security of E. Giddens and inclusive civic identity, as well as taking into account the institutional and value characteristics of regional identities of Donbas are provided. The general recommendations lie in the need to pay considerable attention to the value component in the framework of cultural and information policy, as well as to work on establishing and ensuring a permanent dialogue between the Ukrainian authorities and the population.
