Contemporary Ukraine Research Articles

Refleksje nad tożsamością Donbasu we współczesnej literaturze ukraińskiej

The aim of this paper is a scientific reflection on the issue of Donbas identity, Donbas mythology and historical memory, and to examine how these categories works in contemporary Ukrainian literature. The analysed literary works, on the one hand, show the economic and mental breakdown of the region (Serhiy Zhadan), and on the other hand, they allow us to hope that thanks to the process of self-reflection, it is possible to construct an identity of the inhabitants of Donbas correlated with the Ukrainian national identity (Oleksiy Chupa). Contemporary Ukrainian literature also indicates efforts to create their own Donbas mythology, independent of Russian patterns, which may become part of the Ukrainian nation-building mythology (Lubov Yakymchuk).

Theoretical Aspects of Parody Formation and Development in Contemporary Ukrainian Culture

Theoretical Aspects of Parody Formation and Development in Contemporary Ukrainian Culture

Genre and style models of contemporary Ukrainian vocal and choral music

The relevance of the study of the chosen topic is conditioned by the fact that a wide panorama of compositions in the field of vocal and choral music appears, reflecting the modern process of reviving the national culture of Ukraine. The variety of their content, concepts, and structures contributes to the popularization of the spiritual and creative heritage of the Ukrainian people, which requires special research in modern conditions. The purpose of the study is to identify genre features and stylistic patterns that characterize the works of the vocal and choral branch of musical art. In the course of the study, methods of analysis, comparison, and synthesis were used. As a result, genre models of vocal and choral compositions of small (painting; prayer; monologue; song; arrangement) and large forms (cantata, choral concert suite, vocal and instrumental cycle, choral cycle) were discovered. The leading stylistic components of modern vocal and choral compositions were established, their content was emphasized (synthesis of elements of archaic play (action); folk songs; spiritual chant and modal, classical tonal, chromatic sound systems in small forms; a unique author’s idea, processing of primary sources from folk song art and church services based on a wide range of different fret and technical systems in large forms). The study's conclusions confirm the utilization of folk, church, and academic traditions, both past and present, alongside structural, compositional, technical, intonational, and rhythmic elements from various musical genres and cultures in vocal and choral compositions of the first quarter of the 21st century

The Ukrainisation of society and culture in contemporary Ukraine

As the Russian-Ukrainian conflict unfolded, Ukrainians began to perceive language as a political matter. The successive actions of the Russian Federation, such as the annexation of Crimea, the war in the Donbas region, and full-scale aggression in 2022, further solidified the Ukrainian language as a unifying force against the aggressor, while the Russian language became increasingly associated with the enemy and occupier. This shift in perception has fueled public support for the Ukrainisation of public life, resulting in measures such as increased quotas for Ukrainian programs on television, promotion of Ukrainian music on the radio, Ukrainisation of education, and mandatory use of the Ukrainian language by government officials and service providers. The ongoing war and collective efforts of Ukrainian society have solidified a distinct Ukrainian identity separate from Russian identity, with the Ukrainian language firmly established as their mother tongue.

Sacred Art from the Frontline: The Iconography and Symbolism of the Contemporary Ukrainian Art Project “Holy Icons on Ammunition Boxes”

Sacred Art from the Frontline: The Iconography and Symbolism of the Contemporary Ukrainian Art Project “Holy Icons on Ammunition Boxes”

A comparative study of expressive language usage in contemporary Ukrainian and English media

The article addresses the topical issue of using expressive syntax in mass media, which is an essential aspect of modern journalism. This topic is becoming especially important in the context of the rapid development of digital media and changes in how people consume information. Expressive syntax, as a means of linguistic expression, affects the audience's perception of content, shaping emotional reactions and attitudes. The paper analyzes how different publications use expressive syntax to achieve specific communicative goals. The authors carefully analyzed the linguistic features of two leading media resources - the British "The Guardian" and the Ukrainian "Ukrainska Pravda." They aimed to understand how these media use expressive syntax to achieve their communicative goals. The authors paid particular attention to analyzing stylistic differences in approaches to presenting information, which reflects the cultural and contextual characteristics of the audiences of both publications. On the one hand, The Guardian tends to have a more analytical and nuanced style. It uses syntactic constructions that promote deep understanding and reflection on the topics presented. On the other hand, Ukrayinska Pravda more often resorts to direct and emotionally charged syntactic constructions that help to convey the main point of the news quickly and effectively. It constantly emphasizes the importance of events for Ukrainian society. Based on the analysis conducted, the authors have concluded that expressive syntax plays a key role in shaping the perception and impact of media texts on the audience. Media outlets should find a balance between the use of expressive means and ensuring the accuracy and reliability of information. Therefore, all media professionals are advised to pay close attention to their language strategy since language is a powerful tool of social influence that can shape public opinions and sentiments.

The Question of Language in Contemporary Ukrainian Cinema

Abstract Since the 2000s, various laws have sought to impose Ukrainian in film production. If until 2014, due to decades of Russification, it was not uncommon to see a Ukrainian film shot in Russian, the Ukrainian language has become increasingly dominant in national cinema. The law of 2017 demanding Ukrainian directors to shoot in the official state language has aroused questions and different positions among the film community: while some have tried to resist it, arguing a lack of realism and an artificial use of a standardized Ukrainian language in the context of a predominantly bilingual society, most filmmakers have been able to find creative solutions, by getting in tune with a society that is becoming more and more Ukrainian-speaking, or by resorting to surzhyk, a vernacular mixing Ukrainian and Russian. Apart from Slavic languages, minority languages such as Crimean Tatar have also found their place in contemporary Ukrainian cinema.

Ecclesiology from Below in Contemporary Orthodox Christianity

Abstract This article aims to critically and comparatively explore a recent model of ecclesiology from below as worked out by a contemporary Ukrainian Orthodox theologian and worldwide known scholar, Cyril Hovorun (b. 1974). In order to discern Hovorun’s original contribution to the field of Orthodox ecclesiology and its ecumenical potential, his doctrine of the church is placed in a wider scholarly context by emphasising the way in which the Ukrainian theologian is influenced by his main sources. Afterwards, the concrete implications of Hovorun’s ecclesiology from below are examined and some critical remarks are further articulated. Finally, this study sheds light on the strengths and shortcomings of Hovorun’s approach when compared with one of the most influential ecclesiological perspectives in contemporary Orthodox Christianity, namely, John Zizioulas’ eucharistic ecclesiology.

Holocaust: Artistic Dimensions of Contemporary Ukrainian Prose (Using the Example of Larysa Denysenko’s Echoes: From the Dead Grandfather to the Deceased

In recent times, global events have starkly illuminated the disturbing absence of ethnic tolerance, thrusting interethnic conflicts into the spotlight and casting shadows over both individual and collective identities. This research focuses on the Holocaust, delving into the annals of history through the lenses of recollection, personal identification, and genetic memory, as portrayed within the pages of the novel Echoes: From the Dead Grandfather to the Deceased. The primary aim is to fathom the gradual erosion of collective historical memory over time and discern its profound significance for future generations. Within this study, an examination of the interplay between the ‘collective unconscious’ and the ‘personal unconscious’ is undertaken. Additionally, the novel’s utilization of symbols and details is scrutinized. The research employs a multifaceted approach, encompassing historical-genetic, interpretative, narrative, and psychoanalytic methodologies. Through the protagonist’s transformative journey, the novel highlights the importance of preserving historical memory and recognizing its lasting impact on individual and collective consciousness.

СОЦІАЛЬНІ ПЕРЕДУМОВИ РОЗВИТКУ ІНШОМОВНОЇ ПРОФЕСІЙНОЇ КОМПЕТЕНТНОСТІ МАЙБУТНІХ ІНЖЕНЕРІВ-БУДІВЕЛЬНИКІВ В УКРАЇНІ

This article is devoted to the study of the social preconditions for the development of foreign language professional competence by future civil engineers in the contemporary Ukrainian context. It examines the social factors influencing the need for foreign language learning, particularly English, among students of construction specialties in Ukrainian higher education institutions. The author analyzes the impact of globalization, international integration, technological development, and the current situation in the Ukrainian construction industry, driven by russian aggression, on the preparation of modern civil engineers. This study addresses the role of the English language in professional activities, focusing on accessing new technologies and materials, as well as effective communication with international partners and clients within the context of Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction. The article also explores the benefits of having high levels of foreign language professional competence, including increased competitiveness through access to foreign literature, international conferences, and seminars, allowing professionals to enhance their self-education and skills, thereby creating greater opportunities for career growth. The author analyzes the current state of professional training for future specialists in the construction industry and highlights the significance of foreign language proficiency for future civil engineers in the face of globalization and integration of the national construction market into the global context. Additionally, possible ways to increase the level of foreign language professional competence among students are discussed, along with recommendations for further development of this aspect within the Ukrainian education system. The findings of the research underscore the importance of integrating foreign language training into the curricula for civil engineers to ensure their readiness to meet the challenges and opportunities of contemporary Ukrainian and global markets.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR TETYANA LUNYOVA

Contemporary Ukrainian writer Tetyana Lunyova has authored books for adults and children. She has published under her real name as well as under the pseudonym Tetyana Horytsvit, which is the Ukrainian name for the spring flower adonis. Tetyana is a member of the National Union of Writers of Ukraine and the National Union of Artists of Ukraine (section of Art Criticism). She has got PhD in English linguistics and is certified as an Associate Professor.

Вивчення сучасної дитячої літератури у початкових класах НУШ

The article actualizes the problem of literary education in the context of the implementation of the ideas of the New Ukrainian School. The content of the linguistic and literary educational field of the typical educational programs of the NUS on the topics of contemporary children's literature recommended for study by younger students is considered. The current textbooks on Ukrainian language and reading for grades 2–4 are analyzed in terms of their content with texts by contemporary children's writers; genre and thematic varieties of literature presented for study by primary school students are outlined. It is proved that, compared to the previous ones, the new textbooks are supplemented with contemporary Ukrainian works of children's literature. Instead, there are works whose content, themes, artistic images, characters are incomprehensible to students, do not correspond to their life, reading, emotional and sensory experience. It has been determined that the percentage of fiction texts by contemporary writers of the twenty-first century in textbooks for junior pupils is too small. The compilers do not pay attention to works on psychological topics, on the relationship between children and parents, on the heroes of Ukraine, and on the problems of «children of war».

Editorial: Ukraine in the XXI century - the multidimensional challenges for the country and international community

An idea to publish the special issue on Ukraine emerged in 2023 and at that time it was associated with the Visegrad + project: Ukrainian refugees in Central Europe and the Balkans - lessons learned and policy recommendations. The project was prepared and implemented by the academics (universities) of the Border and Regional Studies Network established within the CEEPUS. Originally, we were focused mainly on the issue of Ukrainian refugees and their reception in different, mainly Central European and Balkan countries, thus few of the articles published within this special issue are the result of this project. However, we wanted to have a wider and multidimensional picture of contemporary Ukraine, where the issue of refugees is one of many important topics to be covered. Thereby, as a result of an open call, we are able to present a selection of articles tackling a broader set of research problems demonstrating a variety of areas important in understanding Ukraine and its international surroundings.

THE ROLE OF GLOBALISATION IN THE STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT OF UKRAINIAN ENTERPRISES

The article analyses the characteristics, criteria and various factors influencing the impact of globalisation on economic development and business activity in contemporary Ukraine. At present, society is facing new goals, tasks and requirements, which are largely determined by scientific and technological progress, implementation of innovative technologies and the need for a certain degree of flexibility, resilience and adaptation to dynamic changes in the economic sector. At this stage, financial stability and prosperity are among the most important values in the modern world, and this is driving the interest in studying the peculiarities of innovative economic development. At the same time, globalisation issues remain understudied and require an analysis of specific "parallels" between past and present outcomes. This analysis helps to identify the "gaps" and "risk zones" within the global market, which is crucial for all countries participating in these market relations. The subject of the study is globalisation as a driving force for the development of enterprises in Ukraine. An assessment of the dynamics of the crisis' impact on Ukrainian business, based on a survey conducted by EKONOMICHNA PRAVDA in 2020-2023, leads to the following conclusions: approximately 25% of the establishments that existed and successfully operated in Ukraine before 2020 have closed; the quarterly drop in revenue in the most successful restaurants is approximately 30-35%; staff loss or shortage is about 48%; and approximately 80% of establishments are experiencing logistical problems (Business and the Crisis in Ukraine). The purpose of the research is to assess the current state of development of enterprises in Ukraine and to study potential opportunities for optimising their activities in view of globalisation. Methodology. Definition of conceptual apparatus, analysis, synthesis and synthesis of information on the relevant issue. Conclusion. The destructive and destabilising processes that pose challenges to the development of Ukrainian businesses are characterised by a high degree of risk and uncertainty in the context of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine. The following components must be taken into account: political factors: an unfavourable situation caused by military aggression, the need for additional alerts in case of emergencies and to ensure the safety of customers; additional expenses: generators, security systems and video surveillance; economic factors: rising prices of domestic goods and products; the need to create a new service concept that stands out from the competition.

Transformations of the information space in the post-truth-age

Socio-political changes in the end of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st centuries in the conditions of geopolitical processes specified by the collapse of the Soviet and socialistic systems, rapid development of information-and-communication technologies have transformed information space. Contemporary Ukrainian journalism and its national information space have been established in interdependence with sociopolitical, economic, cultural-educational development of the independent Ukrainian state. Media were both a mirror and a catalyzer of the socio-political processes. Ukraine’s development in the current conditions of the military aggression and increased information threats creates a necessity to protect its national information space, to improve the system of information security and resist to information operations, and to decrease negative results of the impact of external information. Globalization of the information space and the increased scope of untrue information in the post-truth age require an expansion of the opportunities for media education, a development of critical thinking and enhancement of the level of citizens’ media literacy, their ability to counterstand manipulations both from inside and outside.

BETWEEN DOCUMENTARY AND POST-DOCUMENTARY: SEARCH VECTORS OF CONTEMPORARY UKRAINIAN DRAMA

The article discusses modern dramaturgical strategies, which consist in creating a transformative field by means of documentary/post-documentary. The purpose of the article is to demonstrate the search vectors of contemporary Ukrainian drama in the context of the connection between documentary and post-documentary aesthetics. "Post-documentary" becomes such a feature of liminal aesthetics, which manifests itself in its performative, active orientation to the understanding of reality through the document. The main features of post-documentary theater, identified by researchers, are the ability to bring to the fore the subject of the action, which records its own states "here and now" and turns the text into a performative event. With such an artistic strategy, the author realizes an approach to true reality, "preserves" the moment of creation, the fluid phase of "here and now", a unique moment that is valuable for its true imperfection. For a dramatic text, this can be realized in the inclusion of autobiographical material, in the metagenres of diary, notebook, letter, etc., and through the embodiment of a "draft aesthetic". "Draft aesthetics" is a contemporary strategy of "non-finito" as a type of artistic thinking and demonstrates conditional imperfection, incompleteness of the text, an open form that captures the variability, uniqueness, confusion of the subject's state of consciousness and realizes the performative nature of the dramatic text. The fixation of facts, characteristic of a document, becomes in the documentary a fixation of temporary fluid states of the character in the interpretation of events (past or present) in order to preserve and remember this liminal state. In contemporary Ukrainian drama, a field of frontier between documentary and post-documentary is being formed: playwrights, directors, drama and theater researchers raise issues of trust in the document, look for ways to find contemporary attitudes, artistic methods and techniques that would reflect the "truth of the fact", raise questions of artistic ethics regarding involvement of documentary sources. The crisis of the documentary is realized as a means of salvation in the post-documentary: playwrights embody for the recipient the maximum approximation to reality, which reflects the document as an object of artistic research.

7TH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM “SMART LION”. REHABILITATION IN UKRAINE, SEPTEMBER 26, 2023

The seventh international symposium, SMART LION, was held on September 26, 2023. It was to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Shevchenko Scientific Society and the 125th anniversary of the Medical Commission. The topics concerned the challenges our country faces today. Organizers of SMART LION 2023 are Professors Valentyna Chopyak, Oksana Zayachkivska, and Vassyl Lonchyna. They managed to gather almost two hundred participants offline and over a thousand guests online.
 Olena Lazareva, Vira Rokoshevska, Oleh Bilianskyi, Oksana Hdyria, and Oleh Fitkalo delivered their reports on the development of rehabilitation in Ukraine and its main avenues.
 The emergence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a critical challenge for contemporary Ukraine and has long been a significant obstacle for global medicine. That is the reason why Oleh Berezyuk, Head of the Mental Health Service of the UNBROKEN National Rehabilitation Center, brought up the matter of difficulties in correctly diagnosing and treating PTSD in the context of a multidisciplinary hospital, while Professor Valentyna Chopyak and MD Svitlana Zubchenko focused the attention of attendees on PTSD immune-rehabilitation.
 During the concluding block of the symposium, which focused on the contemporary interpretation of physical therapy and occupational therapy, as well as interprofessional education, communication, and cooperation, attendees were afforded the chance to listen to highly intriguing reports presented by Renata Roman (Canada), Ellen Godwin (USA), Karl J. Sandin (USA), David Omut (USA), and Oksana Zayachkivska (Ukraine, USA).
 The scientific event concluded with a round table on the future of physical therapy and rehabilitation in Ukraine, with its outcomes leading to the resolution of the seventh international symposium, SMART LION 2023.

Valerii Herasymchuk’s biographical drama: culturological intertextuality

The article is devoted to a voluminous biographical dramas Valerii Herasymchuk — the cycle «Piesy pro velykyh (Plays about the Great)». It is not yet fully formed, as the author is still adding works to this day, so it is required careful reading. A professional analysis of the writer’s biographical drama in the context of the intertextual methodology of modern literary studies seems appropriate.It is noted that Valerii Herasymchuk created his own system of relationships to the biographies and works of each of his protagonists, practicing new genre experiments and updating the already known forms of literary biography in relation to the cycle «Piesy pro velykyh (Plays about the Great)».Analysis of literary works devoted to contemporary biographical drama allows us to conclude that researchers of its various aspects often ignore the dramatic works of Valerii Herasymchuk as quite difficult for literary reception. At the center of each drama in the cycle «Piesy pro velykyh (Plays about the Great)» is a prominent historical or cultural figure: Metropolitan Andrii Sheptytsky, writer and film director Oleksandr Dovzhenko, historian and fiction writer Dmytro Yavornytskyi, Hetman Ivan Mazepa, poet Olena Teliha, fighter for Ukraine Stepan Bandera, classics of Ukrainian modern literature Ivan Franko and Lesia Ukrainka, singer Kvitka Cisyk, and outstanding Ukrainian director Les Kurbas.These plays can refer to different models and kinds of biographical drama, which is a distinctive feature of contemporary Ukrainian drama. As a playwright, Valerii Herasymchuk creates one of the directions of its development. His biographical drama organically combines dominant tendencies tied to the broadest cultural intertext. Valerii Herasymchuk’s innovation is the involvement of dramatic genres in the system of motifs and characters of plays, when the cultural intertext in the dramatic discourseworks at one of the deepest levels — the genre level.Herasymchuk’s biographical drama, represented by the cycle «Piesy pro velykyh (Plays about the Great)», is distinguished by «biographical trust», brave genre experimentation, and different strategies of prose, fiction, philosophical and literary reflections. Summarizing all of the above, Valerii Herasymchuk’s biographical drama is a promising material for literary analysis and generalization.

ARETOLOGICAL ETHICS IN STRATEGIES OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

Actual scientific researches and issues analysis. Framing the problem in this aspect involves referring to the works of Elizabeth Anscombe, Alasdair MacIntyre, Philippa Foot, Rosalind Hursthouse, Roger Crisp, and Edith Hall. The issue of academic integrity has been addressed in the research of V. Romakin, T. Finikova, A. Artyukhov, M. Grynyova, L. Ryzhak, O. Tsokur, Y. Kalinovsky, V. Khmarsky and others. The research objective. Unveiling the creative potential of aretological ethics and its applicability in crafting a strategy of integrity and its effective implementation in the academic, cultural, and socio-political realms of contemporary Ukraine. The statement of basic materials. Changes in moral philosophy from Aristotle to the present day are shaped by diverse historical, cultural, and philosophical influences. In the mid-20th century, normative ethics was dominated by two theories: deontology, inspired by the 18th-century philosopher Immanuel Kant, and utilitarianism, rooted in the philosophies of Jeremy Bentham and J.S. Mill. Elizabeth Anscombe, in her work “Modern Moral Philosophy” (1958), highlighted a legalistic shift in ethics, suggesting a departure from viewing virtues as mere duties or obligations, advocating a return to Aristotle's approach where virtues are seen as key qualities of character aimed at human flourishing. Anscombe's work sparked a revival of virtue ethics. Philosophers like Philippa Foot, Rosalind Hursthouse, Edith Hall, and others contributed to the rehabilitation and development of virtue ethics, emphasizing Aristotle's moral philosophy. These philosophers seek not only to revive but also to adapt Aristotle's teachings on virtue to the demands of modern society, addressing contemporary challenges. Their contributions have significantly influenced the development of normative ethics, expanding discussions and examining aspects of virtue in the context of contemporary moral theories.

ШЕКСПІРОЗНАВЧІ ЗНАХІДКИ МАРІЇ ГАБЛЕВИЧ У СВІТЛІ НАРАТОЛОГІЧНИХ СТУДІЙ

The current paper seeks to present an insightful re-reading of the works authored by the contemporary Ukrainian Shakespearean scholar, practicing translator, editor, and critic M. Hablevych (born 1950) through the prism of narratology. The focus is on one of the main topics of her scientifi c research – Shakespeare’s legacy in the light of his life and works. Methodological tenets of transgeneric narratology (P. Huhn, M. Kraan, E. Müller-Zettelmann) and reception aesthetics (R. Ingarden, W. Iser, R. Barth) comprise the ground for the research in the paper. The ultimate goal of the paper is to apply narratological concepts to the critical and theoretical works of Maria Hablevych as well as to analyze the Ukrainian translations of Shakespeare’s Sonnets by D. Pavlychko (1998) and N. Butuk (2011) against their background. It is argued that the “Author” concept as regarded by the multifaceted agent partially correlates with the “Author-function” by M. Foucault, fulfi lling the functions of narratorhood (M.–L. Ryan). Yet, it reaches beyond the traditional narratological understanding of the notion of Author. By applying the critical-theoretical method, the method of narratological analysis, the elements of interpretive textual analysis, and translation studies analysis, the article looks into the peculiarities of narratological categories reproduction in the Ukrainian translations. The latter bears signifi cance for the adequate reproduction of the ideological and semantic unity of the Sonnets. The paper reveals various degrees of their rendering, with the version by N. Butuk being considered the most successful and closest to the multifaceted agent’s interpretation. Key words: multifaceted agent, Shakespeare, Author-function, Author’s voice, heterodiegetic narrator, homodiegetic narrator, mediation, point of focus, narration.