Political Rhetoric and Identity Transformation in Ukraine: Between Soviet Legacy and European Future (1991-2014)
Short abstract: This lecture focuses on the interaction between political rhetoric and the transformation of national identity in Ukraine between 1991 and 2014. It concludes with the Revolution of Dignity (Euromaidan), which reflected Ukrainian society’s deliberate turn toward European integration. The analysis situates Ukraine within broader debates on post-authoritarian identity formation, nation-building, and Europeanization, drawing on interdisciplinary approaches from political science, discourse studies, and sociology.
The research explores how political elites mobilized historical narratives, collective memory, and symbolic resources to address the Soviet legacy while articulating visions of a European future. It employs three narrative frameworks identified by White and Feklunina – “Ukraine as part of Greater Europe,” “Ukraine as Europe,” and “Ukraine as Alternative Europe” – to investigate how political messaging constructs national identity. Key themes include memory, geopolitical orientation, regional divides, and language politics.
The study combines political discourse analysis, content examination of speeches, interviews, and political programs, as well as sociological surveys on national identity, thereby offering a comprehensive perspective on both elite narratives and public perceptions. By tracing the evolution of these narratives from early independence through nation-building to the period preceding the Euromaidan, the lecture demonstrates how political language actively shapes collective identity and responds to sociopolitical transformations.
In highlighting the implications of rhetorical strategies for democratic consolidation and European integration, this research also underscores why Ukraine’s experience is highly relevant for contemporary Europe, where questions of identity, memory, and values remain central to ongoing debates about the future and security of the European project.
Biographical note: Alina Iovcheva is a political scientist and historian specializing in gender equality in political processes, transitional democracies, and the transfer of socio-political values, with a focus on South and Eastern Europe. She is an Associate Professor of History at Petro Mohyla Black Sea National University (Mykolaiv, Ukraine), where she teaches socio-political disciplines, develops curricula, and researches democratic transformations, Europeanization, and regional security.
Her international experience includes coordinating and teaching Jean Monnet Modules on The EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (ESEDEP) and Implementation of European Values as a Basis of Democracy in Ukraine (EVADEM), as well as contributing to the British Academy project Societal Security Dilemma in Post-independent Ukraine (2024–2025). She has held prestigious fellowships, including the Field of Excellence Dimensions of Europeanization at the University of Graz (2022) and the ALLEA Fellowship (2022–2023). She has also served as a UNDP Consultant on post-war educational reconstruction in Ukraine.
Dr. Iovcheva has authored numerous journal articles, a co-authored monograph, and methodological works, and has presented widely at international conferences. Her expertise in identity, democracy, and European integration bridges scholarship and practice, providing insights into how political rhetoric and values shape democratic transformation in transitional societies.