Skhid

Ethics of documenting cultural losses as a manifestation of memory dispositif in the context of armed conflict

2025-12-31T14:18:05+02:00

The article is devoted to the analysis of the ethics of documenting cultural losses as a local manifestation of a memory dispositif in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian war. Based on contemporary approaches in the philosophy of memory and the theory of dispositif, the study offers a conceptual framing of the notion "memory dispositif" and argues for the need to highlight the ethics of documentation as an important component of this configuration. The article argues that documentation in the context of war goes beyond technical or procedural action and functions as a complex networked practice within which meanings, regimes of truth, and the documentarian’s agency are formed. This perspective allows us to interpret the documentation of cultural losses as an element of the cultural heritage protection system, which in modern conditions acquires a new security dimension and is integrated into state policy to counter genocide, memory erasure, and information manipulation.
The inquiry is grounded in viewing memory as a dynamic dispositif, where documentation functions not as passive recording, but as a process of forming meanings, responsibility, and agency. In this logic, the ethics of documentation is defined as a concept that encompasses the normative, epistemic, and ontological dimensions of the documentarian's activity. The ethics of documentation is set apart from the ethics of archiving and the ethics of testimony, highlighting that it addresses the prearchival phase of document creation and the documentarian’s mediation between trauma, fact, and social interpretations. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of contemporary Ukrainian practices of documenting cultural losses (in particular, the activities of HeMo and the Crimean Institute for Strategic Studies), which form an interconnected network of knowledge production, legal legitimation, and ethical interaction with communities. The Crimean material (the demolition of the Kosh-Kuyu I settlement and the Kirk-Azizler necropolis) is considered as a test case that most clearly demonstrates how a memory dispositif works: here, the documentarian finds himself at the intersection of colonial practices of displacement, legal invisibility, and ethical responsibility for giving voice back to cultural objects.
The article also analyzes the "Roadmap" for interagency cooperation as the materialization of a memory dispositive – a network infrastructure within which power structures, knowledge regimes, and ethical practices circulate The findings reveal that documentation, in this configuration, is not a merely technical act but an ethical and discursive practice within which regimes of truth, norms of loss legitimization, and the documentarian’s subjectification take shape.
The authors conclude that the ethics of documentation operates as a localized manifestation of a memory dispositive – one in which cultural loss is transformed into a socially significant fact, and the documentarian assumes the role of an ethical subject responsible for shaping collective regimes of memory under wartime conditions.

Losses of cultural heritage in Kyiv region as a result of the Russian invasion: mechanisms of cultural self–defense

2025-12-31T13:42:51+02:00

The article examines the scale of losses of immovable cultural heritage in Kyiv region as a result of the Russian invasion and identifies mechanisms of cultural self–defense. The main types and kinds of losses of cultural monuments are outlined, practices of their protection are analyzed; cooperation of state authorities, public activists, the scientific community and international organizations in searching for mechanisms of cultural heritage preservation is studied; prospects for post–war restoration of cultural objects are determined. The UNESCO World Heritage List and cultural heritage objects in Ukraine, particularly in Kyiv, inscribed on it according to the UNESCO Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage are analyzed. The UNESCO Tentative List of World Heritage objects is also examined, three of which are located in Kyiv. The national list of cultural heritage monuments of national and local significance in Kyiv region and Kyiv, inscribed in the State Register of Immovable Monuments of Ukraine, is also analyzed, and cultural objects in Kyiv region that were damaged or destroyed to a greater or lesser extent as a result of military actions are identified. Preliminary results of research within the joint interdisciplinary applied research work of the Research Institute of Ukrainian Studies and the Department of Regional Studies and Tourism of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv “Material and Spiritual Losses of the Population of Ukrainian Polissia as a Result of the Russian–Ukrainian War and Their Overcoming” (2025–2027) are summarized. In particular, preliminary results of work in Kyiv region by the comprehensive Ukrainian studies expedition “Polissia–2025” and practical research by students of the Geography Faculty of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv are taken into account. As a result of expedition research, destruction of immovable cultural heritage in Kyiv region was identified, analytical (before/after) and photographic materials (destroyed/ruined/damaged) of monument destruction were obtained. Joint efforts of state authorities, local self–government, scientists and public activists and international organizations regarding documentation of losses of immovable cultural heritage that occurred as a result of military actions and regarding the use of cultural self–defense mechanisms for future restoration of cultural monuments and tourist attractiveness of Kyiv Polissia are shown.

Epistemological potential of media-philosophical and socio-communicative theories of terrorism: challenges to humanitarian security

2025-12-31T11:48:16+02:00

The article presents a theoretical and epistemological analysis of media-philosophical and socio-communicative theories of terrorism developed by Wolfgang Frindte, Gabriel Weimann, and Brigitte Nacos, with the aim of revealing the mechanisms of media construction of terrorism as a global threat and the role of mass media in shaping public perception of this phenomenon in the context of humanitarian security challenges. It is demonstrated that in the contemporary globalized world terrorism acquires new mediatized forms, forming symbiotic relationships with mass media that amplify the effects of intimidation, propaganda, and the construction of reality through the visualization of violence, repetition of messages, and symbolic codes of fear.

In particular, W. Frindte’s theory substantiates the interaction between media constructions (Medien-Frames) and individual interpretations (Individual-Frames), in which the media, through dramatization, emotionalization, and framing, shape the perception of terrorism as an inevitable danger, creating illusory correlations (for example, associating Muslims with terrorism) and a self-reinforcing cycle that legitimizes restrictions on democratic freedoms. G. Weimann’s “theatre of terror” theory demonstrates how terrorist acts are planned as symbolic performances designed to maximize media attention, employing communication technologies for propaganda, psychological warfare, and cyberterrorism, thereby generating dilemmas for the media and posing threats to liberal values. B. Nacos’s theory of “mass-mediated terrorism” emphasizes that without media coverage terrorism loses its symbolic power, while the media become a key element in the dissemination of fear, recruitment, propaganda, and the legitimization of actions, as exemplified by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
The theories demonstrate that contemporary terrorism functions as a communicative strategy dependent on media influence, with its “effectiveness” measured by informational resonance rather than by the scale of physical violence. It is also established that the media not only transmit information but actively construct images of threat through spectacle, dramatization, and staging, thereby intensifying public fear and challenges to humanitarian security.

Christian religious philanthropy as a spiritual determinant of national resilience under conditions of war

2025-12-31T10:33:04+02:00

The article explores the development of Christian religious philanthropy amidst the full-scale war. Its relevance stems from the fact that religious organizations in contemporary Ukraine serve as key providers of humanitarian assistance, integrating social support with practices of solidarity, mutual aid, and spiritual-moral guidance. The purpose of the study is to identify the essential components of Christian religious philanthropy as a spiritual determinant of national resilience. The methodological framework is based on systemic and comparative approaches, as well as the case-study method; the empirical basis is complemented by a questionnaire survey. The novelty of the research lies in the application of a comprehensive academic perspective to interpreting religious philanthropy as a significant factor contributing to national resilience during wartime and to the broader process of societal recovery in the post-war period. The Conclusions emphasize that Ukrainian legislation enables religious organizations to conduct humanitarian activities directly or through charitable foundations established by them, ensuring transparency, legitimacy, and an adequate level of public trust. Regulatory requirements regarding targeted use of resources and reporting procedures minimize risks of misuse and enhance institutional accountability. Under wartime conditions, religious charity becomes closely intertwined with the protection of human rights, forming an integral element of the state’s humanitarian security. Religious institutions actively support internally displaced persons, families of military personnel, the elderly, and other vulnerable groups, thereby contributing to the realization of fundamental social and humanitarian rights. The survey results confirm the high level of charitable engagement and its considerable support among the population. At the same time, the potential of these initiatives remains predominantly concentrated on one-time forms of assistance, which underscores the need to transition toward systemic philanthropy and to develop strategies for long-term recovery.

Light and Darkness: The Origins of Europe’s Ethical Heritage and the Return to Fundamental Values as a Factor of Spiritual Self-Defense

2025-12-30T18:19:26+02:00

The study of dualistic belief systems in prehistoric and early historical contexts provides a deeper understanding of the roots of contemporary religious and ideological conflicts. Such research helps trace the origins of dichotomies that continue to shape the collective cultural memory of humanity. The relevance of the topic is further reinforced by the growing interest in religious pluralism, intercultural dialogue, and the search for universal spiritual foundations – themes that acquire particular significance in the modern era of globalization and religious diversity. The relevance of the theme of good and evil is driven by a historical and philosophical return to the rethinking of fundamental human values built on the principles of non-violence and humanity, which, in the context of Russia's war against the civilized world, take on the meaning of spiritual self-defense and the basis of human physical survival. The purpose of the article is to clarify the origins, stages of formation, and evolution of dualistic ideas in the religious consciousness of ancient civilizations from the earliest times to the beginning of our era. The research methodology is based on an interdisciplinary approach that combines historical-religious, comparative, hermeneutic, and cultural-historical methods. Elements of structural analysis of mythological texts, as well as historical-typological comparison of religious systems, are also applied. The authors trace the historical dynamics of the transition from the mythological opposition of light and darkness to systemic ontological dualism, which formed the basis for the emergence of Gnostic ideologemes. It is shown that the evolution of ideas about good and evil, God and the Devil, demonstrates a gradual transition from the syncretic beliefs of ancient civilizations to complex theological concepts. In Zoroastrianism, the dualism of light and darkness is clearly traced for the first time, which subsequently transforms into the Christian opposition between God and the Devil. Christianity formulated the moral and ethical dimension of dualism, recognizing evil as a consequence of turning away from God's will rather than as an equal force. In an era of global threats and the war that Russia is waging against the European space, it is especially important to realize that violence, aggression, and the devaluation of human life stand on the opposite side of civilization. Such an understanding should unite nations, strengthen moral resilience, and leave no room for the legitimization of evil or the justification of aggression as a "normal" form of interaction.

Socio-philosophical insight into the role of elites in modern military escalation

2025-12-30T17:09:35+02:00

This article focuses on understanding both the nature of the current stage of international tension and security crisis, and their main triggers, the interdependence of all actors of the political process. To this end, the authors of the study consider the role of elites, and, above all, the phenomenon of the cult of the leader as an extreme form of a personalist political regime, which acquires new analytical relevance in the context of mentioned above destructive socio-political practices spread nationally and internationally. The conducted historical and comparative analysis of the preconditions and the institutionalization of the cult of the leader revealed a clear interdependence between the strengthening of the regime of sole power and the decline of the ruling class (political elite), the functions of which are narrowed to the primitive transmission of the leader's will and the constant forced demonstration of their total loyalty and absolute devotion to the leader. Thus, the cult of the leader, sanctioned by such toxic loyalty of the political elite, blocks any manifestations of initiatives dissonant with the leader's will, as well as the autonomy of thinking and subjectivity. As a result, the leader's will acquires the status of an absolute criterion of truth and legitimacy, and his/her decisions and actions are subordinated exclusively to the logic of personalized power, its self-preservation and reproduction regardless state demarcation which opens the way to arbitrariness and justification of any crimes.
Appealing to modern political practices of cults, the authors of the article argue that the loss of subjectivity by the national political elite, its servile nature are among the gravest challenges to international stability and security. The Russian-Ukrainian war vividly illustrates the catastrophic decline of the soft power mightiness and the need for equal use of hard power to control modern growing military trends. Aggressive foreign policy is a natural continuation of unstoppable leader’s lawlessness in home affairs and the international order becomes the object of such leader's arbitrariness and encroachments. Thus, the cult of the leader is a separate and extremely dangerous outcome of the pathology of political elites which goes beyond the domestic political dimension and becomes a factor of global instability, growing conflict factor and has to be discussed by Academia.

Social justice and market economy security under the pressure of humanitarian challenges

2025-12-30T16:51:30+02:00

This article explores the impact of security factors on the balance of justice within the market transformation of contemporary Ukrainian society. The author analyzes theoretical approaches to the category of “justice” as a fundamental criterion for economic system stability and identifies the key drivers of social inequality arising during reform processes. The study demonstrates that economic efficiency is inextricably linked to moral, ethical, and social norms, as the level of justice determines the degree of public trust in state institutions.
Furthermore, the research substantiates that market transformations frequently trigger social disproportions that threaten humanitarian security. The author contends that justice within a market system must encompass not only formal equality of opportunity but also the creation of conditions for human self-actualization and equitable access to resources and social goods. Conversely, corrupt practices and excessive wealth differentiation erode social capital and hinder national development. The article establishes a conceptual dependence between the level of social justice and the resilience of national security, arguing that amidst market reforms, justice serves not only as a moral category but as a strategic tool for minimizing socio-political and economic risks. Finally, the study proves the necessity of integrating humanitarian criteria into state regulatory policy to ensure a balance between economic expediency and the sustainable development of society.

Openness to the Other: ethical dimensions of freedom in wartime conditions

2025-12-30T16:37:44+02:00

This article explores the concept of “Openness to the Other” within the intersection of individual freedom and contemporary political realities at both national and global levels. Drawing upon the philosophical anthropology of M. Scheler and H. Plessner, the existential phenomenology of M. Merleau-Ponty, and M. Buber’s philosophy of dialogue, the study posits that Openness to the Other is not merely a secondary attribute of the subject, but a fundamental ontological condition of “being-in-the-world”. This ontological and ethical dimension serves as a theoretical basis for analyzing the existential mode of Ukrainian society and its relational dynamics with other political actors.
The discourse reveals an ethical paradox: the possibility of remaining open toward an entity that fundamentally repudiates the principle of openness itself. The Russian-Ukrainian war is examined as a collision between the inherent openness of the liberal order and the radical closure of the Russian imperial project. The author contends that the framework of “New Humanism” enables a re-interpretation of freedom as intrinsically bound to humanistic intentionality – specifically, mutuality and ethical responsibility.
Ultimately, the article proposes a reformulated vision of contemporary freedom and agency within the paradigm of New Humanism.

Philosophical reflections on the Russian-Ukrainian war and liberal international order

2025-12-30T16:01:45+02:00

Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, along with previous acts of the annexation of the Ukrainian territories (Crimea, parts of the Luhansk and Donetsk oblast), posed many questions about the effectiveness and reliability of the liberal international order along with the exact scope of questions but addressed to the current system of the international law as well. Some of these questions are mainly about the support Western countries and other allies give Ukraine. The questions are primarily not about the efficiency and technological part of the process (even though it might be the case for the political turbulence) but how friendly countries put this type of Ukrainian request in their conceptual systems when deciding the best strategy for future actions. The biggest problem is a collective gap in the experience of the Ukrainian people and peoples from other countries as far as contemporary Ukrainians, as well as their ancestors, suffered from the imperialism brought up by Russia. The population of the countries that are friendly to Ukraine has mostly never experienced anything similar. Mostly, their ancestors were the citizens of the countries that did not suffer from imperialism but brought it up to other countries and societies. This article examines how presumptions of imperialism are lasting in liberalism's theory frameworks, in particular international law and moral analyses of the Russian-Ukrainian war. Rather than a wholesale alternative paradigm, emphasis is placed in searching for significant examples where liberal thought inherently continues imperial legacies. The underlying problem is the manner in which contemporary liberal ideology classifies states as either strong or weak, seeing war through the lenses of actors merely choosing to invade errant states or economically aid weaker states. This vision appears to assume that liberal states themselves are invulnerable to territorial occupation – a suggestion that betrays deeper imperial traditions.

The central thesis argues against the way liberal theory excludes the voice of countries currently in conflict, those upon whom decisions regarding support or intervention are being made by outside liberal powers. This rigid model does not give suffering states their interests but rather proscribes positions from a distance from their world. Understanding the Russian-Ukrainian war in liberal terminology requires not the "liberal" anti-imperialism of the sort built by former empires, but a critique that opposes all imperialism, Russian in particular. In conventional liberal thinking, Ukraine, historically subject to a range of imperial forces, is simplified to another issue to be resolved by great liberal powers, its position already decided within their intellectual paradigm. The analysis subsequently occurs in three parts: firstly, examining central ideas of liberal international order and their theoretical limits; secondly, scrutinizing Western public intellectuals' comments upon war, and particularly upon the Russian-Ukrainian war, as a way of showing how even morally good discourse has an imperialist accommodation (such as the Geneva Conventions' principle of distinction, Rawls's theoretical premises, and assertions by Nussbaum and Butler); thirdly, proposing how liberal international order and international law might be remade by avoiding imperialist theoretical inheritances, including by means of the "substitution argument" whereby international legal norms replace personal moral judgment when liberal systems fail to fit reality.

AGRICULTURAL COLONY OF MINDANAO: AMERICAN AGRICULTURAL POLICIES IN BUKIDNON (1907 - 1946)

2025-12-14T13:18:15+02:00

The dependency theory emerged in the early 20th century as Western countries, such as the United States, emerged as a global power. As the United States annexed the Philippines, one of its essential programs was the implementation of agricultural policies aimed at modernizing and transforming the region. This study discusses the condition of Bukidnon's agricultural landscape before and during the American administration, how the Americans implemented their policy in Bukidnon from 1907-1946, and an overview of the effects of American governance. A thorough investigation of the available primary and secondary sources has been utilized to show Bukidnon's agricultural landscape before and during American governance and its effect on the locality. The study finds out that before American colonizers, the Bukidnon had their own ways of farming agriculture and their own land ownership concept. At the advent of American colonizers, they introduced several agricultural policies in Bukidnon, such as establishing settlement farm schools, introducing modern farming methods, and introduction of cultivating foreign crops both for food consumption and cash crops; this was bounded by their aspiration to educate, civilize, and help alleviate the condition of Bukidnon. Despite that, the Americans exploited Bukidnon, which led to the establishment of American-owned cattle ranches and an agricultural colony, the Philippine Packing Corporation. This, in turn, led to the displacement of the native population and posed challenges for local farmers who faced limited economic opportunities.

Religious Self-Improvement as the Foundation of Cultural Resilience of the Ukrainian People

2025-11-27T12:23:11+02:00

This article is devoted to the study of religious self-improvement as a key factor in the cultural resilience of the Ukrainian people in wartime. The author examines the relationship between individual spiritual practices, such as prayer, meditation, and reading spiritual texts, and collective religious and cultural initiatives, including online prayer groups, joint celebrations of religious holidays, master classes, festivals, and volunteer projects at churches. The study shows that the combination of these practices builds psychological resilience, supports moral unity, and promotes the development of national identity, ensuring the strengthening of the sociocultural integrity of society. Particular attention is paid to the role of religious institutions and state cultural policy in supporting spiritual and cultural practices, which ensures the transmission of moral values and the consolidation of the community in conditions of military crisis. The article details the neuropsychological, sociocultural, and ethnocultural aspects of religious self-improvement, in particular its impact on adaptation to crisis conditions, the development of active citizenship, and the involvement of young people in volunteer activities and cultural initiatives. The author emphasizes that spiritual self-improvement contributes to post-traumatic growth, maintaining psychological stability in adolescents, and the formation of resilience and social cohesion. The results of the study show that the comprehensive integration of individual and collective spiritual practices, cultural initiatives, and state support is an important basis for systemic cultural resilience, contributes to the preservation of cultural heritage, and increases the effectiveness of social and cultural processes in contemporary Ukrainian society. The author emphasizes that religious self-improvement is an important mechanism for strengthening not only individual psychological resilience but also collective sociocultural cohesion, highlighting its strategic role in shaping a resilient and culturally active population in Ukraine in the context of war and the post-traumatic period.

Antipode to Trauma: Wholeness, Perfection, and Health in the Biblical and Patristic Tradition

2025-11-22T07:52:03+02:00

The article examines the phenomenon of health within the framework of biblical and Eastern Christian patristic anthropology. The point of departure is the understanding of God as the Absolute of perfection and the “fullness of health”, within whom the divine intention for the human being as a complete created image is rooted. Particular attention is given to the state of primordial human nature prior to the Fall – a condition conceived as integral, harmonious, oriented toward God, and capable of dynamically actualizing its God-imaging properties. It is demonstrated that this state of ontological integrity may be described as the original norm of health, insofar as the Creator’s design, the natural functional capacities of the human being, and the human vocation to communion with the Divine plenitude converge within it. Drawing on biblical texts and the writings of the Eastern Fathers, the article investigates ideal models of humanity before the Fall, wherein the notion of perfection is not contrasted with health but disclosed together with it within a unified theological and anthropological horizon. In this perspective, “health” denotes not merely the absence of deficiency or illness, but primarily an ontological ordering-conformity to the primordial divine intention and participation in the Divine life. It is argued that in these models’ health is not reducible to a set of physiological or psychosomatic indicators but represents an integral state of harmony of the single created nature, whose full meaning is revealed only in light of imago Dei and likeness to God. The study concludes that the categories of “perfection” and “health” exhibit a conceptual and connotative unity at the point of their intersection with the idea of integrity, which is economically inscribed into the structure of creation and reveals a theological vision of the human person as called to participate in the Absolute of health -given both as a gift and as a dynamic task of human freedom. The phenomenon of health is thus interpreted as a key to understanding primordial anthropology and as a criterion for evaluating contemporary approaches to human wholeness, including the overcoming of pain and trauma – physical as well as spiritual. In this context, medical chaplaincy emerges as one of the most important practical fields of support for the human person, especially in the most critical situations of life.
Ultimately, the article proposes a reformulated vision of contemporary freedom and agency within the paradigm of New Humanism.

The Modern Self Prognosis: Freedom, Power, and Globality

2025-11-18T02:00:34+02:00

This paper critiques the modern self as a hegemonic construct constituted through the rational, mythical, and colonial matrices of Western modernity. It challenges the presumed universality of this self, showing that its authority depends on the systematic suppression of alternative identities and their rational voices. Positioned within the broader colonial matrix of power, the modern self appears both as the subject and instrument of a universalizing project that privileges Eurocentric rationality while marginalizing subaltern epistemologies. Tracing the historical and conceptual trajectory of this formation, from its original sources in classical and early modern philosophy to its Enlightenment consolidation, the paper argues that the “modern self” constitutes as a normative ideal of humanity, predicated upon the continual invention of the “Other” as inferior. Consequently, claims to universal reason are shown to be inseparable from exclusionary and hierarchical practices. Drawing on decolonial and liberation philosophy, this paper seeks to deconstruct the coercive imposition of the modern self and to reconstruct subjectivity through an affirmation of the pluriverse of philosophical traditions and lived experiences.

From National Guilt to Constitutional Patriotism: Jürgen Habermas's Reflections on Post-War Societal Identity

2025-11-09T03:11:32+02:00

This article deals with the conceptualization of J. Habermas's discourse on historical memory and post-war societal identity. Analysis covers his criticism of Marxism as a tool of "essentialization of history" and social reductionism that devalues identities. It is substantiated that Habermas engages in active public communication directed against the traditional vision of the social institution of history, particularly against German historians who question the uniqueness of the Holocaust and the guilt of the German community. The author focuses on how Habermas, appealing to collective intelligence and rationality, rejects the reproduction of collective memory tied exclusively to conventional German identity. Analysis also covers the theoretical distinction of Habermas from the postmodern discourse of F. Lyotard on the role of the historical factor in the conditions of deliberative democracy. Habermas emphasized that effective public communication and the intention to form a com-mon European constitutional identity were the factors that helped overcome the conse-quences of the past and united societies against the violence of Nazism and Communism.

The Ancient Era and the Problem of the 'Break of Epochs' in Viktor Petrov's Vision: the Discreteness of the Ukrainian Historical Process

2025-11-05T11:28:00+02:00

The article is devoted to the study of the Theory of Epochs developed by the prominent Ukrainian thinker and scholar Viktor Petrov (V. Domontovych) and its verification based on the materials of ancient Ukrainian history, particularly the archaeological cultures of the Black Sea region and the Dnipro basin. Petrov’s theory offers a fundamentally different view of historical development, rejecting its linearity and evolutionism. Instead, it defines the historical process as discrete, emphasizing the isolation and self-sufficiency of individual epochs in the formation of the Ukrainian people. In this context, an epoch is understood as a structural, internally closed entity determined by a dominant ideology, a stable economic foundation, and established social institutions. Rather than continuing one another, epochs replace or oppose each other, thus forming the overall historical process through “breaks” – ruptures and crises. The Ancient Era represents one such crucial stage in Slavic and Ukrainian ethnogenesis (Ith century BCE – IV th century CE). The article examines the chronological boundaries and conceptual content of this period, which Petrov viewed as a “barbarian variant” of the Hellenistic civilization north of the Black Sea. In particular, the study defines the role of Roman influence, which, according to Petrov, was not decisive but merely contributed to individual Romanization. Meanwhile, the Zarubyntsi and Chernyakhiv cultures are interpreted as examples of local modifications of self-sufficient ancient cultures that already displayed signs of universalization. The paper also defines the nature of the “break” of the Ancient Era, which led to the disappearance of the Chernyakhiv culture around the middle of the first millennium CE. Petrov believed that this rupture was caused by the deep crisis of the Roman Empire in the second half of the IVth century and the collapse of the old-world system of connections, based on Rome’s supremacy among other peoples. The Hunnic invasion merely intensified the pre-existing crisis. The focus of the research is directed toward highlighting the connection between Ukrainian culture and European civilization as an equal and self-sufficient component whose roots reach back to Antiquity. Petrov’s concept, emphasizing discreteness, ruptures, and autonomous devel-opment, is presented within the context of XXth–early XXIth century historical and archaeo-logical thought as a novel and still scientifically relevant theory, confirmed by the works of modern researchers.

Media and Religious Consciousness: How the Information Environment Affects the Spiritual Security of Society

2025-11-04T10:26:35+02:00

The article analyzes the impact of the contemporary media environment on the formation and transformation of religious consciousness in the context of the spiritual security of society. In the digital era, the information space functions as a powerful factor of socialization, worldview construction, and cultural identification. The study explores the dual role of media – as a channel of interfaith dialogue and as a potential source of spiritual destabilization. Using methods of content and discourse analysis, the paper examines the mechanisms through which media messages influence collective and individual perceptions of faith, moral values, and social cohesion. Particular attention is paid to the phenomenon of “information religiosity,” where religious symbols and narratives are appropriated by secular media discourse, leading to a superficial and consumerist understanding of spirituality. The article also addresses the issue of religious manipulation through fake news, digital propaganda, and hybrid information wars, which threaten national identity and the moral stability of societies. The author substantiates the importance of developing media literacy and spiritual culture as key components of information security. The research concludes that the protection of spiritual security requires not isolation from global information flows but the creation of a value-oriented communicative environment that promotes critical thinking, ethical reflection, and respect for religious diversity.

Education as a prominent state-building pillar: Orest Sikorskyi and the Balta Ukrainian Gymnasium (1917–1919)

2025-10-28T12:04:21+02:00

This article examines the role of Orest Sikorskyi (1880–1919), a Ukrainian educator, administrator, public and political figure, and organizer of the Ukrainian national movement in Balta and the Balta County of the Podillia Governorate, in the awakening of national consciousness among the local population amid revolutionary upheavals. Drawing on archival documents, eyewitness accounts, and contemporary scholarly research, the author considers O. Sikorskyi’s civic and educational activities in Balta as a significant local manifestation of the broader national struggle for Ukraine’s cultural and political self-determination. Born into a priestly family, O. Sikorskyi received a European education in History at the universities of Tartu and Halle, which shaped him as a representative of the modern intelligentsia: the profound moral and cultural values of his religious upbringing were integrated with a European worldview. His leadership of the commercial school in Balta, and later the Ukrainian gymnasium he founded, not only provided an institutional foundation for the development of national education but also fostered community cohesion in the face of prolonged political upheavals, war, and social instability. The tragic circumstances of his life underscore his dedication to Ukraine, and the lessons drawn from his experience remain relevant today, demonstrating the enduring connection between education and state-building.

Europe's “Shadow Agent”: Rethinking Ukraine's Historical Role in the 20th Century

2025-10-28T11:45:47+02:00

The article is devoted to the problem of adequately understanding the role of Ukraine and the Ukrainian nation in European being. The authors focus not on economic, cultural, and scientific factors, which are also important, but on geopolitical and military-political factors. The article describes and analyzes the most important moments of active participation of Ukrainians in events that are extremely important for the whole of Europe. To this end, the authors use the concepts of active and latent geopolitical subjectivity, national subject, and actor. They introduce the concepts of “shadow agent” and “pulsating subjectivity” into scientific discourse for the theoretical understanding of the role of Ukraine and Ukrainians in the events of the 20th century. With their help, the authors seek to reveal as deeply as possible the essence of the “key moments” in European history to which Ukraine is directly involved. These include the destruction of the despotic Russian Empire in 1917, the halting of the Bolshevik invasion of Western Europe in 1920, and active participation – from September 1, 1939, to September 2, 1945 in combat operations against the totalitarian states of the Axis, the liquidation of the Gulag, and, ultimately, the dismantling of the USSR.
The article concludes that throughout the 20th century, Ukraine and Ukrainians repeatedly played one of the key roles on the “geopolitical chessboard,” either as an active player or as a shadow actor, and if they had not done so, Europe would now look much worse, and European civilization might even have dissolved into the Eurasian geopolitical swamp. However, the real role of Ukraine and Ukrainians was not always recorded, so it seemed that historically significant events took place, but without Ukraine. Therefore, the authors note: “bringing” Ukraine “out of the shadows,” showing the whole world, and above all Europe, its true historical value as an integral factor, and often even the savior of European civilization, is today one of the most pressing tasks of the Ukrainian intellectual elite, including scholars of Ukrainian studies.

The emerging new Globalization and the War in Ukraine: A Complex Interplay of Politics, Economy and Society

2025-10-05T09:44:19+03:00

The article analyzes the impact of globalization on the war in Ukraine and the war's reciprocal influence on the international system, economy, and society. The conflict is viewed as a critical juncture in the reordering of the world system, accelerating trends toward deglobalization and intensifying the confrontation between democratic and auto-cratic blocs. The research is based on the phenomenological method and systems anal-ysis, supplemented by the methodology of process sociology (specifically, Norbert Elias's theory of functional democratization). This sociological approach allows the war to be analyzed not only as a geopolitical conflict but also as a consequence of the gradual breakdown of Russia's integration with the West and its entanglement with alter-native global structures. The author demonstrates that the events of the war in Ukraine definitively proved the groundlessness of the presumption "globalization equals democ-ratization," as not all states are prepared to espouse democratic values. The analysis also revealed profound economic and social consequences of the conflict: Economic: Global surges in energy and food prices, disruption of supply chains, acceleration of economic decoupling between the West, Russia, and China, and increased fragmentation of the world economy. Social: The largest migration crisis in Europe since World War II, massive casualties, and the fueling of heightened nationalism and polarization of public consciousness worldwide. The author emphasizes the necessity of revising the theoretical foundations of economic and security policy in the face of a new, less predictable global paradigm.

The image of England in the travelogues and correspondence of Ukrainian travelers of the 19th century

2025-09-30T18:37:51+03:00

This article examines the image of nineteenth-century England as perceived by travelers from the Dnieper region of Ukraine. Drawing on travelogues, memoirs, diaries, and correspondence – considered here as narrative sources – the study identifies the travelers’ objectives (education, health, and leisure), principal routes, and markers of material culture and everyday life that attracted their attention.

The analysis demonstrates that travelers’ actual experiences of England were geographically limited to major cities, particularly London, and resort towns such as Torquay and St Leonards, resulting in a fragmented and partially “unknown” image of the country. At the same time, many travelers prioritized intellectual exchange, focusing on the scientific milieu, library collections, and the views of leading scholars.

It is shown that extended stays in England facilitated the formation of new, enduring social networks – including European elites, scientists, and émigré compatriots – which promoted deeper integration into the broader European cultural context. The study concludes that exposure to this environment gradually undermined ideological stereotypes imposed by the Russian Empire. Consequently, these firsthand accounts became a catalyst for personal transformation and the development of national consciousness among travelers from the Dnieper region.

The Role of Ukrainian Studies in Ukraine's National Security and Exposing Russian Fakes

2025-09-30T16:14:56+03:00

The article analyzes the role of Ukrainian Studies in Ukraine's national security and the exposing of Russian fakes. It has been found that the Russo-Ukrainian War has become a huge challenge for Ukraine and Ukrainians, as it is being waged not only by military (conventional) means but also through information warfare and propaganda. It is revealed that Russian aggressors (Rashists) are attempting to defeat Ukrainian citizens not only on the battlefield but also in the information space, promoting a "Rashist" worldview and convincing Ukrainians of their inferiority. They also impose Putin’s ideology of the "Russian World" and imperial myths about the "single people," "blood brothers – Russians and Ukrainians," and similar narratives on the Ukrainian nation, thereby attempting to restore the USSR 2.0 in the format of "Great Historical Russia." It is shown that Russian myths are utilized as a powerful tool of hybrid warfare to falsify historical events, create false ideas about socio-political reality, and form a false social reality for the objects of information influence. As a result of these systemic actions, Ukraine's national security faces the threat of significant weakening. It is emphasized that Ukrainian Studies, as an interdisciplinary integrative science and an independent educational discipline, possesses great potential and real opportunities to actualize the intellectual achievements of Ukraine’s humanitarian elite to strengthen national security, reinforce national identity, and refute the propaganda myths and fakes of the Russian aggressors (Rashists). It is demonstrated that an important component of strengthening Ukraine's national security and national identity, and refuting Russian myths, is the creation of an appropriate legal framework that will enhance legal support for countering Russian propaganda narratives. It is established that Ukrainian Studies in the 20th and early 21st centuries contributes to the strengthening of Ukrainian national identity in Ukraine as a vital part of national security, thereby actualizing Ukrainian ethnic formation, state formation, nation formation, and ethno-cultural formation. It is concluded that Ukrainian Studies can become the national and worldview ideology of the Ukrainian Independent United State.

The Roman presence in the Northern Black Sea Region during the Republican Era: a Sociocultural Dimension

2025-09-28T10:01:18+03:00

The article is devoted to defining the specifics of Roman expansion and understanding Roman frontier policy in the Northern Black Sea region. The study emphasizes the differences between modern and ancient concepts of a border, which complicates its demarcation. The potential limit of the Roman state's influence is defined through M. Mann's concept of the "empire of domination," which posited three levels of Roman expansion during the Republican era. Based on historical sources, the dynamics of the Roman presence in the Northern Black Sea region are traced. Particular attention is given to the establishment of a system of client and allied states on the frontier. The entry of such states into the zone of the Roman state's diplomatic influence created the groundwork for the full-fledged integration of this region as a Roman province. The study determines that Roman expansion was defined not so much by military means as by a political strategy of eliminating or weakening potential regional hegemons, exemplified by the Pontic Kingdom of Mithridates VI Eupator. The Roman presence in the region was defined by the integration of local elites through the institution of clientela, which was crucial in establishing dependence on Rome. The emergence of a sociocultural syncretism during the Romanization and Hellenization of the region is identified.

Ukrainian issue in diplomatic activity of the Ukrainian People's Republic and Western Ukrainian People's Republic in the Serb, Croats and Slovenes Kingdom

2025-09-25T06:53:23+03:00

The article examines the formation and activities of the diplomatic service of the Ukrainian People's Republic (UPR) in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (SCS) in the 1920s. The research is based on newly discovered archival documents that have allowed for important conclusions regarding the UPR's international activities.

The author argues that despite the pro-Russian sentiment in official Serbian circles and the lack of official recognition of the UPR, Ukrainian diplomats, particularly H. Myketei, S. Lukianovych, and M. Slavinsky, achieved significant success. They conducted active outreach, spreading the "Ukrainian idea" and providing objective information to the Yugoslav public about the state of the Ukrainian nation, its history, and its aspirations for independence. The diplomats also cared for the Ukrainian community in the Kingdom of SCS, specifically by uniting interned servicemen and providing them with material and moral support. They established strong ties with Ukrainians who had immigrated to Yugoslavia earlier.

A key factor was the Ukrainian diplomats' use of an unconventional situation, namely the willingness of Croatian, Slovenian, and Macedonian representatives to cooperate. M. Slavinsky expanded the activities of the UPR missions into non-Serbian regions, which helped to foster a positive perception of Ukrainians as a nation striving to create its own independent state. Ultimately, however, the active diplomatic work of the UPR and WUPR missions in the Kingdom of SCS was hindered by the Bolshevik regime that was established in Ukraine.

European integration course of Ukraine: implementation of national interests and current challenges

2025-09-19T11:07:19+03:00

This article examines Ukraine’s European integration course as one of the main directions of contemporary foreign policy and a crucial mechanism for strengthening national security, ensuring sustainable development, and modernizing the state. It traces the historical evolution of Ukraine–EU relations, starting with the 1990 Declaration of State Sovereignty, the 1993 Verkhovna Rada Resolution “On the Main Directions of Ukraine’s Foreign Policy,” and the signing of the 1994 Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, and culminating in the granting of EU candidate status in 2022. The paper reviews key legal and institutional frameworks, including the Ukraine–EU Action Plan, the European Neighbourhood Policy, the Eastern Partnership initiative, the Association Agreement, and the establishment of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area. Particular attention is paid to the transformation of European integration following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which turned EU accession from a political and economic project into a strategy for survival, recovery, and security consolidation. The study analyzes the economic, political, and security dimensions of integration, focusing on the harmonization of Ukrainian legislation with EU law, modernization of state institutions, promotion of democratic reforms, and the prospects for accession negotiations in 2025. Key obstacles to integration are identified, including insufficient competitiveness of certain economic sectors, difficulties in meeting financial obligations, and the need to improve the professional capacity of civil servants. The article highlights the EU’s role as a strategic partner in security cooperation, including Ukraine’s participation in PESCO and EUMAM initiatives and the signing of bilateral security agreements. The findings emphasize that Ukraine’s European integration course is a comprehensive strategy aimed at establishing the country as an integral part of the European political, economic, and security space, strengthening its international position, and improving citizens’ quality of life.

Natural Environment and its Influence on the Psyche of the Ukrainian Ethnos

2025-09-17T12:12:48+03:00

The article is devoted to determining the role of the natural environment in shaping the mental foundations of the Ukrainian ethnos. It is argued that a specific locality in Europe determines the psycho-ethnic basis of Ukrainian society, which undergoes a multi-vector genesis precisely in the special natural conditions of ‘the integrity of space and time.’ The geopsychological influence of the biogeographical and specific biocenotic environment on the somatopsychic state of the human mind and the regional features of such influence, which are manifested in specific ethnic psychotypology, have been determined. These psychotypological characteristics are embodied in the way of thinking of representatives of certain communities, which today is referred to as “mentality”. We approach these states of the human psyche after coming from the archetypal foundations or prototypes of the human mentality. Therefore, we move on from various archetypal foundations that significantly influence the peculiarities of behaviour and economic activity (in particular, archetypes “man-plant” and “man-animal”) to the consideration of societies dominated by the so-called “agricultural consciousness”. Such societies always progress because, after having ensured their hunger-free living, they always strive to creatively improve their well-being, namely comfort, and actively resort to art in the form of the creation of a specific product. In return, people with the collecting consciousness and their own original “art”, evolve into the selective or appropriating consciousness, when the creative approach leads to the encroachment not only on the Nature, but also on those societies that generate the product the selectors steal. The agricultural reasoning instead offers agrotechnologies, pottery, cattle breeding, cooperage, agricultural inventory and many other things such as art, writing, literature, etc.