Mcgrath C. Master Narratives of Ukrainian Political Culture: From Kyivan Rus to the War in Donbass

PhD Thesis for the acquisition of PhD degree, Specialty 052 – Political Science. – Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. – Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, 2021. This PhD dissertation is dedicated to the analysis of the master narratives of Ukrainian political history. As fighting between Russian backed rebels and government forces is taking place in eastern Ukraine, it is all the more apparent the existing political divide that exists in the country. The complex history of being subjugated by surrounding countries and major resettlements of Ukrainians is testing the country in a major way. Historically, emphasis on understanding the Soviet Union was focused on the Soviet perspective – Soviet narratives, and most recently on reemerging Russia. As a result, little attention is placed on Ukraine’s history. In order to understand the Ukrainian identity, it is necessary to know the narratives that encompass Ukraine’s history. As freedom and liberty exemplifies American identity and ideology, the history of Ukraine also contains a system of stories that support Ukrainian national identity. The relevance of the research is demonstrated by the fact that Ukraine holds a high significance at this time in global politics, especially for the United States, given the recent tension between NATO and Russia. Ukraine stands at the center of recent events in the heart of Europe, such as Euromaidan, the ouster of its president Viktor Yanukovych, the annexation of Crimea, the fighting in Eastern Ukraine, and a passenger airliner being shot down. It is crucial to have more Americans with expertise on Ukraine, i.e., Americans who understand Ukrainian national identity.