National self-identifications and coexistence in war-affected Ukraine

Abstract Scholars have recognized that it is not simply Ukraine's victory over Russia but also Ukraine's ability to secure peace that is a necessary precondition for successful (postwar) recovery. While Ukraine claims to fight an anti-imperial war against Russia, Ukraine's ability to secure peace depends on the course of its decolonization practices in the realm of cultural heritage and national identity. This article discusses popular articulations of national self-identification in Ukraine prior to and at the time of the Russian war (2014–). It traces key issues that have been at stake on Ukraine's “cultural front”—the domain of cultural production and debates about colonization of Ukrainian culture—suggesting that a novel, inclusive style of nationalism is pertinent to secure peace in Ukraine.