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Derussification or Ukrainization? Ukraine as a Battlefield of Language Policies (1991-2004)

English title Derussification or Ukrainization? Ukraine as a Battlefield of Language Policies (1991-2004)
Applicant Myshlovska Oksana
Number 119313
Funding scheme Fellowships for prospective researchers
Research institution Karazin Kharkiv National University Department of Ukrainian Studies
Institution of higher education Institution abroad - IACH
Main discipline Political science
Start/End 01.08.2007 - 31.01.2008
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Keywords (3)

Language policy and planning (LPP); Language rights; Nationalising state

Lay Summary (English)

Lead
Lay summary
The purpose of the thesis is to study the policy of Ukrainization, defined as a policy aimed at the spread of the Ukrainian language, over the period of 1991-2004. Language has been at the heart of the political process in Ukraine since it became an independent state as a result of the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991. Among the language ‘battles’ that will be dealt with in the thesis are: the right of the Ukrainian language to a special protection status, the spread of the Ukrainian language in the areas formerly dominated by the Russian language, the status of the Russian language in Ukraine, identity of Russian-speaking Ukrainians and language rights of Ukrainians in the Russian Federation. The policy of Ukrainization has spurred debate not only in Ukraine, but also among Western scholars. The latter argued that the new post-Soviet states became so called nationalising states promoting the culture of the titular nations at the expense of other nationalities. Due to the politicization of the issue of language, on the one hand, and the ‘veneration’ of language as a national symbol of Ukrainophone Ukraine, on the other hand, there is a remarkable lack of scholarly publications on the topic. Thus, in the present thesis, we will carry out systematic analysis of actors and factors shaping the policy of Ukrainization. We will also try to establish policy patterns by comparing the present day policy of Ukrainization with another attempt of such a policy undertaken by the Soviet authorities in the 1920-30s. The thesis will thus contribute to a better understanding of the nature of post-Soviet states and their policies.
Direct link to Lay Summary Last update: 21.02.2013

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