Nation and Memory in Russia, Poland, and Ukraine: A Comparative Study
Explore the complex dynamics of nation-building and nationalism in Russia, Poland, and Ukraine throughout history. Delve into the primordialist and modernist views of nationhood, examine the role of intellectuals in nation-building, and understand the evolution of nationalism in these countries. Gain insights into the relevance of these historical perspectives in today's context.
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Presentation Transcript
Nation and Memory in Russia, Poland, and Ukraine Russia, Poland, Ukraine Revision 2021/22 Week 4, Summer Term
Outline 1. Nation and nationalism 2. Russia, Poland, Ukraine in the 19th century 3. Culture and Nation 4. The nationalisation of the masses 4. The period of the two world wars 5. Relevance today
Primordialist view Nations are fixed, they are natural and they are ancient Modernist view Nations are a product of modernity, they are constructed by elites, nationalists created nations Intermediate view Nations are modern but have roots in pre-modern eras and cultures.
Two types of nationalism (Hobsbawm) Mass, civic and democratic political nationalism Ethno-linguistic nationalism After the French Revolution, esp. 1830- 1870 Dominant in Europe 1870-1914 Nations claim self-determination as sovereign, independent states Secessionist and state building Large in territory and population Smaller groups Top-down and elite based From below and community based Germany, Italy, Hungary modelled after France and Britain Ukrainians, Czechs, Estonians, Serbs Eric Hobsbawm, Nations and Nationalism since 1780
Nation building in non-dominant ethnies and the role of intellectuals (Phase A) Groups in the ethnic community start to discuss their own ethnicity and conceive of it as a nation-to-be: scholarly enquiry into and dissemination of an awareness of the linguistic, cultural, social and historical attributes of the nation-to-be (Phase B) A new range of activists try to awaken national consciousness and to persuade as many members as possible of the ethnic group the potential compatriots that it is important to gain all the attributes of a fully-fledged nation: (1) development of a national culture based on the local language and its use in education, administration and economy, (2) civil rights and self-administration, (3) creation of a complete social structure beginning of a national movement (Phase C) A mass movement is formed which pursues these aims: a fully-fledged social structure of the would-be nation comes into being Miroslav Hroch, From National Movement to the Fully-Fledged Nation, pp. 61-62
Who are we? What does it mean to be a Pole, a Russian, a Ukrainian Who can become a member of the nation? What is more important, objective criteria or subjective identification with the nation? How to win the peasants (which peasants) for the national project?
Outline 1. What is a nation? 2. Russia, Poland, Ukraine in the 19th century 3. Culture and Nation 4. The nationalisation of the masses 4. The period of the two world wars 5. Relevance today
Key questions - Poland Latin (Roman-Catholic) traditions Conflict with Teutonic Order The noble republic The partitions: reasons: punishment of god, evilness of partitioning powers, weakness of Polish constitution, geography, division of society and exploitation of peasants, egoism of nobility Romantic nationalism, messianism and uprisings Realists: organic work Who is a Pole? Different concepts (inclusive, exclusive)
Key questions - Ukraine Kyivan Rus - Orthodox Kingdom of Halych Uniate Church Khmel nits kyj, the cossack state and the treaty or Pereyaslav Little Russians, Ruthenians, Ukrainians The Ukrainian awakening Diverse historical experiences under Polish, Austrian and Russian rule
Key questions - Russia Kievan Rus and Byzantine Heritage Orthodox faith Chaadayev and Kireevsky Mongolian yoke Peter the Great and Westernisation Westernisers vs. Slavophiles in the 19th century Official nationality: Autocracy, Orthodoxy, nationality (narodnost ) Challenges of Russian nationalism
Outline 1. What is a nation? 2. Russia, Poland, Ukraine in the 19th century 3. Culture and Nation 4. The nationalisation of the masses 4. The period of the two world wars 5. Relevance today
Culture and Nation History Painting National literature National music culture National symbols Sites of Memory Commemoration and Celebration What makes a national poet, national opera/music, national art?
Outline 1. What is a nation? 2. Russia, Poland, Ukraine in the 19th century 3. Culture and Nation 4. The nationalisation of the masses 4. The period of the two world wars 5. Relevance today
Nation building and Organic Work Starting point: failed insurrections Poland culturally and economically too underdeveloped to sustain an independent state New strategy: Improve industry and trade in the Polish provinces Build towns and railways Organize cooperatives and organize Polish peasantry Raise the literacy level and the national consciousness of the population Abolition of serfdom precondition for reaching out to peasantry - Reading clubs - Co-operative movement - Often important role of priests but movement let by secular nationalist intelligentsia
Ukrainians in the Russian Empire Assimilation Little Russians Valuev Decree and Ems Ukaz Orthodox faith Attraction of Russian culture Upward mobility chances Delaying Ukrainian nation building Ukrainian nationalism Ethnicity and historical traditions Small group of pro- Ukrainian noblemen Ukrainian language and literature Partial coincidence of social and ethnic boundaries
Outline 1. What is a nation? 2. Russia, Poland, Ukraine in the 19th century 3. Culture and Nation 4. The nationalisation of the masses 4. The period of the two world wars 5. Relevance today
1914 - 1921 First World War: precondition for state building in Eastern Europe after 1918 Collapse of Empires: were they reformable? State building Wars 1918-1920 War and war remembrance: provides heroes and binds nation together Failure of Ukrainian state building success of Polish state building: why did Poles succeed where Ukrainians failed?
Polish Nationality Policy Towards Ruthenians (Ukrainians): assimilation Towards Jews: exclusion (National Democrats) or assimilation (Pilsudski, Socialists) Strengthening of the Polish element in the kresy (Eastern borderlands) Polish settlers Preferential treatment of ethnic Poles Closing of Ukrainian schools or transformation into bilingual schools Polonisation of universities and public space In Volhynia more flexible than in East Galicia Pacifications
Soviet nationality policy 1920s: different approach to Ukrainians: indigenization, Affirmative action: national in form, socialist in content The Ukrainian famine: man-made famine, genocide, democide, crime against humanity Changes in 1930s: Greatest Danger Principle Changes in 1930s: Reduction of Complexity National operations
The Second World War Poland: Suffering and heroic fight with tragic outcome, private memory vs. official memory in Communist Poland, Warsaw Uprising Russia: Suffering and heroic fight with triumphal victory, official memory and private memory coincide (for many), uses of the victory today Western Ukraine: Suffering and heroic fight with tragic outcome Ukrainian nationalist fighters are heroes Eastern Ukraine: Suffering and heroic fight with ambivalent outcome Ukrainian nationalist fighters are traitors Local antisemitism (historical roots) and the Holocaust Impact of WWII on Polish-Russian, Russian-Ukrainian, and Polish-Ukrainian relations
Outline 1. What is a nation? 2. Russia, Poland, Ukraine in the 19th century 3. Culture and Nation 4. The nationalisation of the masses 4. The period of the two world wars 5. Relevance today
Relevance Putin and historical justifications of his policy towards Ukraine Denial of existence of Ukrainian nation Russia as hegemonic power Soviet Union as container of Russian power
