Ukrainian Nationalism: A Post-Colonial Reading of a Nation Finding its Feet

Öz

Post-colonial studies often begin with the questions of where and when does post-colonialism begin? With numerous imperialist narratives still haunting different parts of the world, it really becomes difficult to answer these questions. However, recent developments have reflected once again the continuing nature of colonialism via a shape-shifting practice. The current war between Russia and Ukraine has become an important experience in understanding this trauma. The aim of this study is to understand how the conflict, now a war, has started solidifying the Ukrainian identity via fetching its Other, namely Russia. The study inquiries into a post-colonial reading to understand recent Ukrainian national re-construction via history, territory, and culture. This begs an inquiry into the post-Soviet geography to better understand the repositioning of Ukraine as a nation unfettered by the Russian Federation. This paper attempts to understand whether the recent war has launched a postcolonial resistance of Ukraine to assert itself via raising consciousness and to transform itself from a pseudo-nation-state to an authentic one. 

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Postcolonialism
• Nationalism
• Identity
• Subaltern
• Ukraine

UKRAYNA MİLLİYETÇİLİĞİ: KİMLİĞİNİ ARAYAN BİR ULUSUN POSTKOLONYALİZM ÜZERİNDEN OKUNMASI

Öz

Post-kolonyal çalışmalar incelendiğinde genellikle postkolonyalizm’in nerede ve ne zaman başladığı sorusuyla yola çıkıldığı
görülmektedir. Dünyanın farklı yerlerinde hâlâ tanık olunan çok sayıda
emperyalist anlatı varken, yukarıda bahsedilen soruyu yanıtlamak
gerçekten zorlaşmaktadır. Bununla birlikte, son gelişmeler, bir biçim
değiştirme pratiği aracılığıyla sömürgeciliğin devam eden doğasını bir
kez daha yansıtmaktadır. Rusya ve Ukrayna arasındaki savaş, bu travmayı
anlamada önemli bir deneyim haline gelmektedir. Ukrayna ve Rusya
arasındaki savaşın bir boyutu ile kimlik çatışması olduğu görülmektedir.
Savaşın seyri ile Ukrayna ulusal kimliğinin, Rus kimliğine karşı bir Öteki
olarak nasıl konumlanacağı önemli bir sorun olarak ortaya çıkmaktadır.
Bu çalışma, tarih, toprak ve kültür kavramları ile Ukrayna’nın son
zamanlardaki ulusu yeniden inşasını anlamak için post-kolonyal bir
okuma üzerinden ele almaktadır. Bu durum Ukrayna’nın Rusya
Federasyonu tarafından tahakküm edilen bir ulus olarak yeniden
konumlandırılmasını daha iyi anlamak üzere Sovyet sonrası coğrafyaya
yönelik bir sorgulamadır. Bu makale, son savaşın, Ukrayna’nın ulusal
bilincini artırarak kendini savunmak ve kendisini sahte bir ulus-devletten
otantik bir devlete dönüştürmek için sömürge sonrası bir direniş başlatıp
başlatmadığını anlamaya çalışmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Milliyetçilik
• Kimlik
• Madun
• Ukrayna
• Post-kolonyalizm
• Milliyetçilik
• Kimlik
• Madun
• Ukrayna
• Post-kolonyalizm, Milliyetçilik, Kimlik, Madun, Ukrayna

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