Ukrainian nationalism: The role of nationalism in the movement toward building an independent Ukrainian state

The case of Ukraine is unique as a result of historical patterns of conquest in the region. As a result, Ukraine is a nation divided between east and west, along cultural, economic, and religious lines. This presented a challenge to both the nationalist movement RUKH and the Ukrainian government in the first year of statehood. Ukrainian events were viewed within the context of theoretical approaches to nationalism as outlined by Gellner (1983), Hechter (1985), and Anderson (1983), as well as within the framework of changing Soviet society as described by Starr (1985). Primary source material was utilized, in addition to interviews conducted in Kiev in 1992. The study found that Ukrainian independence was to a large extent not the product of a sustained nationalist movement, but rather the result of historical circumstance. This, in turn, has left the nation without a uniting identity or vision. Ukraine's size, economic potential, population, geographic position, and military force, including nuclear weapons, combine to make the manner in which Ukrainian leaders address the question of Ukrainian identity highly significant. The implications of Ukraine's course extend beyond domestic stability to relations with Russia and regional stability.