Ukrainian Ethnocultural Processes in the Research Legacy of Leonid Zaliznyak (Devoted to the 70th Anniversary of His Birth)

Abstract

The article analyzes L. Zalizniak's contribution to the development of modern ethnology, in particular his study of the ancient history of Ukraine, Ukrainian ethnogenesis and modern domestic ethnocultural processes. It reveals that the priority of his research is ethnocultural studies, which in the days of post-Soviet Ukraine acquired perfection and systematic comprehension. It is discovered that the works of the scientist are marked by the thoroughness of the latest methodological approaches, the scale of the issue (from ancient history, Ukrainogenesis, to modern events and reflections on the place of Ukraine among world civilizations), high scientific erudition, and depth of knowledge. It is proved that L. Zalizniak offered the concept of the origin of the Ukrainian people not only to the scientific community, but to the whole Ukrainian society. This concept is based on a deep understanding of the laws specific for the historical process of peoples’ formation and nations’ development. It is substantiated that the scientist continues working on improving this concept, constantly deepening the most important issues of Ukrainian genesis, the formation of the Ukrainian state, the stages of formation of the Ukrainian nation, the place of Ukraine among world civilizations, and more. It is found that the concept of the origin of the Ukrainian people built by prominent scientists is of great political importance, as it is a solid and reliable basis for the establishment of the independent Ukrainian state, while popularization of this concept in the people's consciousness helps preserve the identity of the Ukrainian people in modern ethnocultural space. It is noted that L. Zalizniak actively participated in understanding the core and essence of the undeclared Russian-Ukrainian hybrid warfare, while his scientific works allow to comprehend the past of Ukraine and Ukrainians, professionally encompass Ukrainian ethnocultural processes, help the modern Ukrainian nation defeat the enemy, restore the territorial integrity of the Ukrainian ethnocultural space and preserve the identity of the Ukrainian people at the present stage of its ethnocultural development.