On September 23, Mykola Riabchuk, Principal Research Fellow at the Department of Political Culture and Ideologies, took part in the Ukraine Forum – an expert discussion on current situation in Ukraine, held in Bern in the building of Swiss parliament.

The event, organized by the Ukrainian-Swiss Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group, Ukrainian Society of Switzerland, and University of Fribourg, summoned a few dozen analysts, policymakers, members of parliament and international ambassadors based in Bern, to openly exchange views, under the Chatham House rules, on the state and prospects of Ukraine-Switzerland cooperation and major obstacles to its further development.

In his introductory speech, Dr. Riabchuk explained the existential character of the war for Ukrainians under the Russian overtly genocidal intentions, pointed out at virtual impossibility to reach any viable peace agreement with Russia insofar as that country never observed any agreements, and warned against mindless acceptance of Russian explanatory frameworks and terminology that obscure than clarify the essence of the developments. The major debate, however, focused on the hot issue of much-needed re-export of Swiss weapon to Ukraine – something that is arguably precluded by the Swiss neutral status, although no formal restriction on this does exist.

On the Institute’s website (in the “Our Publications” section), is available the electronic version of the monograph “Ukraine 1917-1920: Eventual and Historiographical Contexts”.

The proposed book attempts to focus attention on the most important, complex, and controversial moments of the experience of the revolutionary years (1917–1920) in Ukraine. For more than a century, discussions have not subsided around them, which do not always end with an understanding of the true meanings of what happened, an awareness of the essence of what happened, an indisputable approximation to the truth. Therefore, the historical aspects and plots selected for reproduction, interpretation, and evaluation are studied in close connection with the development of historiographical trends and scientific developments of different times.

On the Institute’s website (in the “Our Publications” section), is available the electronic version of the monograph “Government and civil society in the countries of the world: experience of interaction”.

The book contains an analysis of examples of interaction between state authorities and civil society organizations in different regions of the world – in the countries of the post-Soviet space, Central Eastern and Western Europe, Southeast Asia, and the African continent.

The relationship between the nature of the political regime and the nature of its relations with civil society is revealed, and the growth of the influence of public organizations on political governance and on the solution of urgent social problems is traced.

The content of the book illustrates the ability of civil society in democratic conditions to be one of the influential actors of public life and a noticeable factor of influence on political development.

On the Institute’s website (in the “Our Publications” section), is available the electronic version of the monograph “Government and civil society in the countries of the world: experience of interaction”.

The book contains an analysis of examples of interaction between state authorities and civil society organizations in different regions of the world – in the countries of the post-Soviet space, Central Eastern and Western Europe, Southeast Asia, and the African continent.

The relationship between the nature of the political regime and the nature of its relations with civil society is revealed, and the growth of the influence of public organizations on political governance and on the solution of urgent social problems is traced.

The content of the book illustrates the ability of civil society in democratic conditions to be one of the influential actors of public life and a noticeable factor of influence on political development.

On the Institute’s website (in the “Our Publications” section), is available the electronic version of the monograph “Modern European Policy on the Protection and Development of Jewish Life“.

The monograph contains the results of the author’s research on the European Union’s (EU) policy regarding the “Jewish question”, as well as the characteristics of contemporary Jewish communities in Europe. It analyzes current issues related to the development and implementation of the EU Strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life (2021–2030)

From July 12 to 16, 2025, the 28th World Congress of the International Political Science Association (IPSA) was held in Seoul, the capital of South Korea — one of the key events in global academic life. The Congress took place at the Coex Convention & Exhibition Center, one of the largest and most advanced venues in Asia, in cooperation with the Korean Political Science Association (KPSA). It was the second time Seoul hosted the IPSA World Congress — the first occasion being in 1997.

The main theme of the 28th Congress was “Resisting Autocratization in Polarized Societies”. This topic is particularly timely, as even well-established democracies are facing the threat of authoritarian regression — from both political elites and increasingly disillusioned citizens.

Key areas of discussion included: the erosion of democratic institutions, populism and authoritarian rhetoric in electoral politics, the undermining of human rights and civil liberties, political polarization among both elites and citizens, disinformation, “post-truth” narratives, and the political use of digital technologies. Authoritarianism cloaked in the rhetoric of public safety, migration crises, or climate challenges also came under scrutiny.

Despite these challenges, the Congress emphasized the importance of an active civil society, independent judiciaries, and responsible opposition parties as critical safeguards against authoritarian drift. A strong emphasis was placed on international democratic solidarity, the role of regional organizations, and global cooperation. The program also underscored the need for in-depth analysis of the reasons behind the appeal of authoritarianism for certain segments of the population, as well as the significance of the transnational dimension of contemporary politics — including the impact of new regional orders, digital transformations, and migration policies on the state of democracy.

The Ukrainian Political Science Association (UPSA) — the only official collective IPSA member from Ukraine — participated in the 2025 Congress. UPSA was represented by Galyna Zelenko, Deputy Director for Research at the Institute of Political and Ethnic Studies, and First Vice President of UPSA. She took part in a series of meetings of the IPSA Council, the Association’s highest governing body responsible for making strategic decisions. Ukraine has been represented in this body for several years by Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Oleh Rafalskyi, President of UPSA and Director of the I.F. Kuras Institute of Political and Ethnic Studies.

During the Council’s session, a new Executive Committee of IPSA was approved for the 2025–2027 term. Professor Yuko Kasuya of Keio University, Tokyo, was elected as the new President of IPSA.

The opening ceremony was attended by the President of the Republic of Korea, Yoon Suk-yeol. The closing ceremony featured the Speaker of the National Assembly, Woo Won-shik.

The 2025 IPSA World Congress in Seoul was not only a platform for the exchange of ideas among approximately 3,400 political scientists from around the world, but also a powerful statement of shared responsibility within the discipline for safeguarding democracy as a universal value. For Ukraine, participation in the Congress was a strategic opportunity to act not only as a subject of academic study but also as an active contributor to global political science.

On the Institute’s website (in the “Our Publications” section), the electronic version of the monograph “Russian-Ukrainian War and Nationalisation of Religious Symbolic Space: Contextualisation, Problematization, Interpretation”.

Conflicts surrounding unique religious monuments and sites of national historical significance — the Kyiv Pechersk, Pochayiv, and Svyatohirsk Lavras, the mirage of the Desyatynna Church, among others — illustrate Russia’s policy of keeping Ukraine within the orbit of its neo-imperial interests (“Russian World”). This is achieved through the abuse of religion and the instrumentalization of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), with the aim of obstructing de-Russification and, consequently, the nationalization/Ukrainization of Ukraine’s symbolic sacred historical and cultural space — a space in which the symbolic becomes inherently political.

The political misuse of religion under the guise of protecting ethnic minority rights is also evident in the case of the Romanian Orthodox Church, which seeks to restore its former jurisdiction over Ukrainian territories in the border regions of Bukovyna and Bessarabia.

The essays of this collected volume analyze Ukrainian political development crises as components of a larger modernization crisis syndrome. In particular, the papers deal with crises of identity, legitimacy, penetration, distribution, and participation as well as with their interaction with each other. This approach provides a deeper understanding of the nature of political crises in Ukraine and their impact on democratization.

The neo-institutional approach underlying this study allows for an examination of political development crises as systemic and permanent phenomena. The authors identify causes of each type of political development crisis, characterize their specific features in Ukraine, and forecast their further evolution. Readers thereby gain an analytical toolkit for assessing crisis phenomena and potential ways to mitigate them.

The book is available for pre-order at the following link: cup.columbia.edu/book/crises-of-political-development-in-ukraine/9783838220277/

Вийшло друком англомовне видання співробітників відділу політичних інститутів і процесів «Crises of Political Development in Ukraine: The Challenges of Post-Soviet State-Building and Ways to Overcome Them» у видавництві Ibidem press у серії «Soviet and Post-soviet Politics and Society” (науковий редактор Галина Зеленько, передмова Олега Рафальського»).

У есеях цього збірника аналізуються кризи політичного розвитку України як складові ширшого синдрому кризи модернізації. Зокрема, статті присвячені кризам ідентичності, легітимності, проникнення, розподілу та участі, а також їхній взаємодії між собою. Такий підхід забезпечує глибше розуміння природи політичних криз в Україні та їхнього впливу на процес демократизації.

Неоінституціональний підхід, покладений в основу цього дослідження, дозволяє розглядати кризи політичного розвитку як системні та хронічні явища. Автори визначають причини кожного типу таких криз, описують їхні особливості в українському контексті та прогнозують подальшу еволюцію. У такий спосіб читачі отримують аналітичний інструментарій для оцінки кризових процесів і потенційних шляхів їхнього подолання.

Книжка вже доступна для замовлення на сайті Columbia University Press за посиланням: cup.columbia.edu/book/crises-of-political-development-in-ukraine/9783838220277/

On the Institute’s website (in the “Our Publications” section), the electronic version of the monograph “Political security of Ukraine: the problem of stabilising the country’s political field. Prognostic assessment, mechanisms of ensuring”.

Based on the results of the study of the state of political security of Ukraine during the war, the collective monograph examines the prospects for maintaining the stability of the country’s political field in peaceful conditions. The analysis focuses on the key factors of ensuring the stability of the political field — social unity in the face of military threats and the difficulties of post-war reconstruction, stability of the political system, and political unity in the context of political competition.

The work examines the prospects for solving a number of political problems that carry conflict potential, such as the de-occupation of Ukrainian territories, the existence of church-confessional and ethnopolitical contradictions, and the protection of the country’s political field from external interference.

On Thursday, May 29, 2025, the Institute of Foreign Policy Studies, with the organizational assistance of the State Enterprise “General Directorate for Servicing Foreign Missions”, held a round table on the topic: “World Order after the End of World War III”.

The event was moderated by the Director of the Institute of Foreign Policy Studies, Doctor of Political Sciences, Professor of the Department of International Relations and Foreign Policy of the Educational and Scientific Institute of International Relations of the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Captain 1st Rank Hryhoriy Perepelytsia.

The active discussion was joined by scientists, university teachers and students, as well as diplomats.

During the round table, experts expressed professional forecasts on such important issues as:

• the transformation of the system of international relations depending on the balance of power — between unipolarity, bipolarity, tripolarity and multipolarity;

• the possibility of achieving a just peace in the conditions of the Third World War;

• the geopolitical ambitions of the main players — the USA, China, Russia, Europe and Ukraine;

• scenarios for dismantling the Yalta system and forming new alliances;

• the potential of the USA and the Russian Federation to cooperate in containing China;

• the likelihood of a transition to a China-centric world;

• the limits of a global compromise to achieve stable peace;

• the role of Europe as a possible autonomous global geopolitical player;

• and the place of Ukraine in the new configuration of the world order.

  

Kuras Institute of Political and Ethnic Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine was represented by: Oleg Kondratenko, Leading Research Fellow of the Department of Problems of World Political Development, and Pavlo Gai-Nyzhnyk, Leading Research Fellow of the Department of Political Culture and Ideology.

On the Institute’s website (in the “Our Publications” section), the electronic version of the monograph “Adaptive Changes in the Functioning of the Political System of Ukraine in the Conditions of Post-War Reconstruction“.

The monograph contains an analysis of scenario approaches to problems that should become priority issues for Ukraine in the period of post-war reconstruction. The attention of the author team is focused primarily on the issue of ways and mechanisms for updating the system of government, the institutional basis of the political system, and establishing a balance of power that would ensure both the decisive role of the state in economic and social revival and the maximum full involvement of society in determining the national development strategy.

Special attention is paid to increasing the efficiency of public administration, continuing the democratization of the information, spiritual, and legal spheres, and establishing universal justice in society. The monograph also considers the issues of the prospects for Ukraine’s participation in the European process and the importance of public diplomacy for its integration into the global space.

For scientists, teachers, higher education students, and everyone who pays attention to issues of the country’s political development.

From 20 to 23 May 2025, the annual Joint Sessions of Workshops organized by the European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR) took place at Charles University in Prague. This event is one of the most prestigious platforms for intensive academic dialogue in the field of political science.

Anastasiia Dehterenko, Leading Research Scientist of the Ethnopolitics Department, PhD (Political Science), Associate Professor of the Kuras Institute of Political and Ethnic Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and a Gerda Henkel Foundation fellow, presented her paper at the workshop External Influences on Democratisation and Autocratisation: How (Non)Traditional Donor’s Competition Shapes Political Regimes. Title of the presentation by Anastasiia Dehterenko: Ethnopolitical Management in the System of Resilience of Territorial Communities of Ukraine. Link to the paper: https://ecpr.eu/Events/Event/PaperDetails/78456.

The presentation of the study by Anastasiia Dehterenko: Ethnopolitical Management in the System of Resilience of Territorial Communities of Ukraine.

In her presentation, the researcher showcased the outcomes of the EPES project (The Ethnopolitical Experts Survey), a SWOT-TOWS analysis, resilience index assessments for Ukraine, a case study of Ukrainian Northern Pryazov’ye focusing on the Greek community, and a conceptual model for a future system of ethnopolitical governance integrating elements of artificial intelligence.

Working group of the workshop ECPR 2025 External Influences on Democratisation and Autocratisation: How (Non)Traditional Donor’s Competition Shapes Political Regimes.

Participation in the workshop provided valuable feedback from leading European scholars and opened a discussion on the prospects of integrating the Ukrainian experience into the broader context of European political transformations.

More information about the event: https://ecpr.eu/Events/274

On the Institute’s website (in the “Our Publications” section), the electronic version of the monograph “Socio-political solidarity in Ukraine in times of war”.

The monograph contains an analysis of the state of unity of Ukrainian society based on the conceptualisation of the phenomenon of solidarity, including in its socio-political manifestation. The author considers the importance of socio-political solidarity for the national stability of the country, assesses its level in the context of national trials, including depending on the development of the military situation. The role of such factors of Ukrainian solidarity as the activities of state and political institutions, the national elite, civil society organisations, and people’s self-organisation is analysed. The importance of collective historical memory for the political consolidation of the Ukrainian population is considered.

The monograph was prepared based on the results of the research work ‘Socio-political solidarity of Ukrainians in the conditions of war’ (state registration number: 0124U003403).

From April 24 to 26, 2025, Alyona Hurkivska, an acting research fellow at the Department of Political Culture and Ideology at the I. F. Kuras Institute of Political and Ethnic Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, participated in the 16th Baltic Studies Conference in Europe (CBSE), titled “Converging Paths: The Baltic between East and West.” The event was organised by the Centre for Geopolitics at the University of Cambridge, in collaboration with the Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies and other partners in Cambridge, United Kingdom.

CBSE 2025 was the largest conference in the Association’s history, bringing together over 500 scholars and practitioners in public policy. Participants discussed current trends and challenges facing the Baltic region amid geopolitical turbulence, highlighting the need for multilateral and interdisciplinary approaches. A particular focus was placed on enhancing the region’s role following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

At the conference, Alyona Hurkivska presented a summary of the article titled “Developing Resilience in Information Warfare.”

Alyona Hurkivska speaking at the conference.

Her analysis of Ukraine’s state information policy from 2014 to 2022 identified key principles for building resilience that could also be relevant for Baltic countries.

Among the main principles she highlighted were:

• improving the quality of public discourse to strengthen social cohesion;
• replacing the “one-voice” policy with open dialogue;
• fostering partnerships with stakeholders; encouraging horizontal interagency cooperation;
• developing evidence-based and adaptive information policies with mandatory evaluation phases and clear performance indicators;
• and promoting government openness as a sign of strength in the context of information warfare.

On the Institute’s website (in the “Our Publications” section), the electronic version of the monograph “Non-governmental sector’s institutional capacity in Ukraine” is available.

The study primarily examines approaches to defining and delineating the existence of the third sector, allowing for the substantiation of this phenomenon’s relevance to Ukrainian realities. It establishes that the level of institutionalization of the non-governmental sector is indicative of its institutional capacity—the nature of which stems from defining the sector’s role and functions, thereby influencing its operational effectiveness.

The concept of institutional capacity is comprehensive and multifaceted, necessitating the identification of measurable indicators whose aggregate fully characterizes the phenomenon. This research is pertinent for scholars, representatives of governmental bodies, the non-governmental sector, and the broader civil society.

On April 22, 2025, the Razumkov Centre hosted an expert discussion on the topic “Content and Forms of Political Education for War Veterans.” The event was organized within the framework of the project “Implementing Mechanisms for Political Education of War Veterans as a Way to Enhance Ukraine’s Democratic Resilience,” which is being carried out by the Razumkov Centre with the support of the Hanns Seidel Foundation Representation in Ukraine.

During the event, the results of an expert survey conducted by the Razumkov Centre from March 20 to April 10, 2025, were presented, and the following issues were discussed:

• the relevance of political education for veterans at the current stage;
• target audiences and their needs for political education;
• optimum forms, methods, and objectives of veterans’ education;
• institutions that can provide political education for veterans.

According to the survey results, 77% of the experts polled believe that political education for war veterans in Ukraine is still in its infancy, and is implemented unsystematically and irregularly. Experts identified the most important objectives for political education courses for veterans as: teaching and developing critical thinking skills, the ability to assess socio-political events, skills for constructive problem-solving; developing skills for participation in political and civic activities; and fostering the ability to counter abuses of power.

The discussion was attended by scientist from the I.F. Kuras Institute of Political and Ethnic Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. Doctor of Political Science, Professor, and Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Galyna Zelenko, emphasized the advisability of developing regional centers for veterans’ political education based at universities and non-governmental organizations, as these institutions possess the necessary human resources. Rostyslav Balaban, Candidate of Political Sciences, highlighted the importance of a multi-variant approach to the political education of veterans, noting that since veterans have different needs regarding political participation, educational offerings should be tailored accordingly. Nataliia Kononenko, Candidate of Political Sciences, drawing on her two years of volunteer experience, stressed the necessity of first motivating veterans to participate in political processes, particularly at the local level.

The event was held in a “hybrid” format (offline and online), which allowed for broad engagement of experts, civil society representatives, and veteran organizations in the dialogue.

On April 24–25, 2025, at the Collegium Polonicum of Poznań University and Viadrina University, an international scientific conference titled “Political Parties and Party Systems: Evolution in the Countries of Central and Eastern Europe” was held. The event was organized by the Polish Association of Political Science in cooperation with the International Political Science Association, and gathered leading scholars from Poland, Germany, Portugal, Spain, France, the United Kingdom, Greece, Italy, Moldova, and the Baltic States.

The Institute of Political and Ethnonational Studies was represented by Galyna Zelenko, Head of the Department of Political Institutions and Processes, Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. In her presentation, “How the Party System Affects the Institutional Capacity of the State (the Ukrainian Case),” Prof. Zelenko highlighted the results of her research on the institutional capacity of Ukraine’s state authorities during wartime. Her analysis focused on the evolution of Ukraine’s party system, the influence of the post-communist legacy, the effects of voucher privatization on the institutionalization of political parties, and the role of electoral systems and constitutional arrangements in shaping the specific features of political party development.

Special attention was devoted to the impact of European integration on Central and Eastern European countries and Ukraine (after 2014), as well as to reforms in decentralization, anti-corruption policy, and shifts in societal values.

The report also discussed non-electoral mechanisms of legitimizing power under martial law conditions, when elections cannot be held due to territorial occupation and ongoing security threats.

Despite the challenges posed by the full-scale war, Prof. Zelenko emphasized that the level of support for democracy in Ukraine remains high. The growing institutional trust and civil society activism point to the strong potential for democratic transformation in the post-war period.

An electronic version of the analytical report “Socio-Political Solidarity in Ukraine in the Context of War” is available on the website of the Institute (in the “Our Publications” section).

The analytical report was prepared on the basis of the scientific conceptualisation of the phenomenon of solidarity, including its socio-political manifestation. The report examines the importance of socio-political solidarity for national resilience and assesses its level in the context of national challenges, including in relation to the development of the military situation.

It analyses the role of key factors contributing to the solidarity of Ukrainians, such as the activities of state and political institutions, the national elite, civil society organisations, and grassroots self-organisation. The report also considers the significance of collective historical memory for the political consolidation of the Ukrainian population.