A New Look at Region, Language, Ethnicity and Civic National Identity in Ukraine

Abstract

Analysing a unique set of survey data, this study re-examines the impact of regional divides, language, ethnicity and other demographic factors on important political attitudes in Ukraine. It also looks deeper into the issue of language, including an examination of both closed-ended and open-ended responses addressing how and why some residents of Ukraine see the language they speak as part of their identity. Finally, it provides evidence of Ukrainians’ attachment to a citizenship-based civic national identity and examines the connection between this civic identity and both language and ethnic identity in Ukraine. The results carry important implications for Ukraine’s ongoing civic nation-building efforts.