The Influence of Western Culture on Ukrainian Cultural Identity

This paper focuses on how the Western culture and values that began to flow in Ukraine after 1991 in the process of globalization have influenced the formation of its identity as a newly emerging independent state. This paper aims to analyze if globalization will have a positive impact on the formation of Ukraine’s identity and thus help Ukraine transform itself into a democratic and capitalist country, or it will cause only confusion over its identity. The study shows that instead of onesided assimilation to the Western culture triggered by globalization, Ukraine is experiencing changes in its identity in various ways under the influence of multiple social characteristics and factors that exist in Ukraine. Much of Western customs has been accepted in symbols, heroes and rites. On the other hand, efforts were equally made to better understand Uraine’s uniqueness and rediscover its traditions and customs. Ideas were borrowed from the past but they were modified and given new meanings in the contemporary context. The Ukrainian government and nationalists have been trying to use historical symbols and establish the Ukrainian identity. New symbols and rituals were created, resulting in the construction of a new identity

Hong, Sogu / Hankuk University of Foreign Studies

ABSTRACT

This paper focuses on how the Western culture and values that began to flow in Ukraine after 1991 in the process of globalization have influenced the formation of its identity as a newly emerging independent state This paper aims to analyze if globalization will have a positive impact on the formation of Ukraine’s identity and thus help Ukraine transform itself into a democratic and capitalist country, or it will cause only confusion over its identity

The study shows that instead of one-sided assimilation to the Western culture triggered by globalization, Ukraine is experiencing changes in its identity in various ways under the influence of multiple social characteristics and factors that exist in Ukraine Much of Western customs has been accepted in symbols, heroes and rites

On the other hand, efforts were equally made to better understand Uraine’s uniqueness and rediscover its traditions and customs Ideas were borrowed from the past but they were modified and given new meanings in the contemporary context The Ukrainian government and nationalists have been trying to use historical symbols and establish the Ukrainian identity New symbols and rituals were created, resulting in the construction of a new identity

The impact of the Western culture was found particularly strong in customs including symbols, heroes, and rituals The value system or the core of a culture is still going through painful phases and changes are taking place at a relatively slow pace In the midst of globalization, forming Ukraine’s identity is indeed a dynamic process that entails problems as well Introduction of mature political, economic and

* “This work was supported by Korea Research Foundation Grant funded by Korea Government(MOEHRD, Basic Research Promotion Fund) (KRF-2005-079-BM0030).”

Ukrainian Cultural Identity*

value systems of the West, was accompanied by the penetration of imperialistic culture Another important reason is that Ukraine lacks various social conditions that are needed to create a civilized society as found in the West Unfortunately, undemocratic political practices still work in Ukraine and the construction of a Western-style civilized society is negatively impacted by politics-economy collusion, lack of proper legal systems and institutions and underdeveloped economic capacity This is also blocking a mature cultural identity from emerging In this context of the social reality facing Ukraine, the Orange Revolution was a major historical event that presented a possibility that Ukraine can evolve into a democracy

The Orange revolution provided Ukrainians with the momentum to fight against corruption and pursue democratic values However, in order for top-down policies to produce genuine effects, consistent and sustainable democratic policies for the public such as substantial social reforms and legal and institutional devices to ensure citizens’ participation, are required To restore Ukraine bogged down in political and economic drags, it is necessary to create an ethnic and cultural identity based on democratic values instead of narrowly-defined nationalism and to build a mechanism through which the desire and passion of the public as witnessed in the Orange Revolution can be reflected in political and social systems on an ongoing basis.Key words: Ukraine, identity, culture, national identity, globalization

I Introduction

Since it became independent following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in

1991, Ukraine has steadily opened itself up and joined the trend of globalization Globalization is mainly a product of economic interactions and integration among countries around the world, but it also fosters cross-border integration in other areas such as politics, society, culture and communication Obviously, the impact of globalization is not limited to economy and it generates the ripples effects across all aspects of a country As communication technology advances, Ukraine and other fledgling democracies do not only trade products and technologies but also engage in social

and cultural exchange As a result, they are bound to be influenced by so-calleduniversal values including democracy that are widely upheld around the globe.This paper focuses on how the Western culture and values that began to flow in Ukraine after 1991 in the process of globalization have influenced the formation of its identity as a newly emerging independent state In this paper, the ‘West’ refers to advanced democracies such as the US and European countries ‘Culture’ means a living environment1) other than nature, that includes everything created by humans, ranging from art, religion and customs to organizations, agreements between social groups and value systems This paper aims to analyze if globalization will have a positive impact on the formation of Ukraine’s identity and thus help Ukraine transform itself into a democratic and capitalist country, or it will cause only confusion over its identity

Identity is a highly complicated and abstract concept with multiple facets The identity and culture of an ethnic group consist of historical experiences and memory shared by members of the group, and cultural identity is a sense of belonging among individuals who make up a social or ethnic group Cultural identity which is

a system of symbols and meanings, also includes a sense of identity of a group or

a people that follows a common set of behavioral rules and standards.2)

Ethnicity is probably the most powerful component of cultural identity which also encompasses tribe, race, gender, social class, religion Most people today are educated and forced to believe that ethnic or cultural identity is a necessary tool to preserve their way of life and values In reality, however, ethnic and cultural identity is under the threat of homogenization posed by the popular culture spreading through globalization and multinational corporations such as McDonald’s.3)From the perspective of late modernism, identity is a temporary element that makes

up a part of an individual and determines his or her membership in a group as of

1) Jean Pierre Warnier, Munhoayu Segyehoa (La mondialisation de la culture), Translated

by Ju, Young il (Seoul: Hanul, 1999), p 160

2) M J Collier & A Thomas, “Cultural identity: An interpretive perspective.” In Y Y

Kim & W B Gudyunst (Eds.), Theories in Intercultural Communication (NewBury

Park, CA: Sage, 1988), p 188

3) G Matthews, Global culture / Individual Identity: Searching for Home in the Cultural Supermarket (London: Routledge, 2000)

now.4) In this sense, identity is not stationary but it constantly evolves In a joint research, Cozen and his fellow researchers said that identity is not a collection of things that do not actually exist Rather it is a constructive or creative process of consolidating, borrowing, amplifying and building products, cultural characteristics and historical memory that already exist.5) The first theoretical approach to be taken based on all the definitions or descriptions above, is that identity is not something primordial that never changes, but it is something that constantly evolves

In this paper, the formation of identity is viewed as entailing a process of creation and acculturation as well as a process of restoring and applying historical experience and memory, and heritage

The second approach is to examine Ukraine’s cultural identity in light of the five characteristics that Belay suggests Belay lists the characteristics as follows6): 1) temporality: it occurs at a particular time point in history and it is affected by the time frame; 2) territoriality: it is formed in a particular area; 3) contrastivity: it represents a contrast in perception between the group that an individual belongs to and other groups as well as a contrast between change and sustainability; 4) interactivity: it is formed as a product of continued social interactions and relations hips; 5) multiplicity: individuals or groups may have various identities at the same time, such as ethnicity, race, gender and class

Belay argued that globalization influences ethnic and cultural identity in line with growing interactions between different ethnic groups and countries, and consequently, increasing interface between various cultural identities may cause tensions and conflicts among different cultures.7) As globalization exposes individuals, groups and peoples to new and unknown circumstances, they are likely to experience cultural

4) S Hall, “Introduction: Who needs identity?” In S Hall & P du Gay (Eds.), Questions

of cultural identity (London: Sage, 1996), p 6.

5) Conzen et al.,”The invention of ethnicity: A perspective from the U.S.A,” Journal of

American Ethnic History, 12 (1), 3-39; http://www.library.ualberta.ca/library_html/libra

ries/hss/iebscoh.html (2006 5.10.)

6) G Belay, “The (Re)construction and Negotiation of Cultural Identities in the Age of

Globalization,” In H B Mokros, ed., Interaction and Identity: Information and

Behavior (New Brunsweick, NJ: Transaction Publishers), pp 321.

7) Ibid., p 320

ambiguity and confusion over their identity Some people and ethnic groups refuse

to mingle with new cultures and preserve their original identity while others take a rather bold step and abandon part of their identity In this paper, attempts will be made to review characteristics of a new Ukrainian identity that is taking shape in a new era of globalization and to examine how Ukrainians develop their self identity that will separate themselves from the rest

Ⅱ Evolution and Change of Cultural Identity

In his onion analogy, Geert Hofstede said, “Culture is like an onion: a system that can be peeled, layer by layer in order to reveal the content”.8) When a social change leads to a cultural change, the way of cultural expression which is at the most outer layer of the onion is initially affected In the case of Ukraine, a change

in its social system and political regime influences symbols of the society and subsequently, role models, icons and heroes that the society or the regime needs, which ultimately suggests the ideological direction of the new government

<Picture 1> ‘The Onion Diagram: Different Layers of Cultural Expression’9)

On the next layer of cultural expression is rites which include social agreements

8) Geert Hofstede, Cultures and Organization, translated by Cha Jae-Ho & Nah

Eun-Young (Seoul: Hakjisa, 1995), p 29-33

9) Ibid., p 30.

or a code of conduct These rites range from table manners observed by individuals and family members, rites of passage, seasonal customs, and business practices to official and formal ceremonies and commemorative events held by governments The final phase of cultural expression entails a change in the value system which forms the core of the culture Normally, such change is slow and difficult to come and involves a fundamental transformation in the notion of life and values, and world view.People use all these cultural expressions to show who they are and to establish their identity This paper intends to analyze how cultural expressions are changing in Ukraine amid globalization, and how Ukrainian cultural identity is being reshaped

1 Symbolic Changes

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Soviet symbols disappeared The plain red flag with a golden hammer and sickle and a good-bordered red star in its upper canton that once served as a symbol of the Soviet Union has been replaced with other Ukrainian symbols A variety of new symbols have emerged Some of them are related to Ukrainian history and there are symbols of capitalism which were previously non-existent in Ukraine The Golden Arches, the symbol of McDonald’s,

US chain of fast food restaurants made its debut in Kiev and brands of major global companies can be found in a growing number of large cities in Ukraine Ukrainian diet began to incorporate new food brands imported from the West There are more and more restaurants serving foreign cuisines, and luxurious global fashion brands are flooding the shelves Western lifestyles were introduced through mass media such as TV, resulting in massive inflows of symbols of Western pop culture Signs in foreign languages were set up and English became a part of Ukrainians’everyday vocabulary ATMs were installed on streets and exchanging business cards has become a common practice in Ukraine In short, globalization has brought a flood of Western symbols in all aspects of Ukrainian life.10)

10) Yuliya Melnyk’s students at the School of Ukrainian and Russian Languages of the Kirovohrad State Pedagogical University reflect on the impact of globalization on their cultures See “Influence of Globalization on Ukrainian Culture.”:

http://www.topics-mag.com/projects/ukraine/page.htm (Nov 8, 2007)

Symbols of capitalism are rushing in at a surprisingly fast rate However, it doesn’t necessarily mean that Ukrainian culture is becoming westernized without any filtering process People in Ukraine began to voice their concerns over this phenomenon and reflect upon their behaviors Efforts were made to find traditional and unique symbols of Ukraine that can replace symbols of the Soviet era and capitalism.

Commercial advertisements are one of the major sources of symbols Since advertisements are designed to deliver a message in the most effective way, within the limited space, only the most appropriate symbols and condensed copies are used

In Picture 1, an Ukrainian woman presents Ukrainian milk against the backdrop of nature Ukrainian dairy product companies saw their sales falling due to growing imports of Western dairy products In response to the competition, they launched a counterattack and began to convince consumers that domestically produced products are more “natural, clean and healthy”, and thus consumers should use Ukrainian products to stay healthy Similarly, the advertisement in Picture 2 says, “Our Tires

on Our Roads” and shows a Ukrainian road condition as a symbol that all Ukrainians can relate to The message is that Ukrainian tires designed for particularly strong endurance, are best suited for tough road conditions in Ukraine Advertisements fast increased with the introduction of capitalism Initially, those ads simply presented foreign products and used the patterns borrowed from foreign ads However, attempts were soon made to develop Ukraine’s unique products and brands that can compete with their foreign rival products, as well as to write creative ad copies They are now used as symbols that preserve and represent Ukrainian culture

As the advertisement in Picture 3 says - ‘my zminylys’!’ which means, “We are changing”, Ukrainian symbols are indeed changing

<Picture 2> Advertisement for Ukrainian

Dairy Products

<Picture 3> Advertisement for an

Ukranian Tire Brand

<Picture 4> Advertisement for a Cigarette Brand “We Are Changing”11)

Symbols are also important for the government as well as for individuals and private companies The Ukrainian government began to take advantage of globalization to establish a new identity both at home and abroad As Soviet symbols lost relevance to a new and independent Ukraine after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, new symbols were needed to replace them The new symbols were expected to signify the legitimacy of Ukraine’s independence and its historical continuity, and to represent a new vision of Ukraine Stamps were a good showcase

of those symbols Stamps issued between the independence and 1998 are indicative

of what the Ukrainian government intended to stress12) : Ukraine is no longer a part 11) Pictures 1, 2, 3 from Jennifer Dickinson’s work ‘Contemporary Advertising in Ukraine.’http://www.uvm.edu/～jadickin/gallery3.html (2006 10.22)

12) Ukrainian stamps can be found at http://www.ukrainian- philately.info/menu.htm The following stamps emphasizes the legitimacy and continuity of Ukrainian history 1) 100th anniversary of discovery of prehistoric Trillian culture(Dec 17, 1994.) 2) The Angel Michael of Kiyv Rus (Feb 15, 1993) 3) L’viv of Old Ukraine’s Coast of Arm -

of Russia, and its history dates back to the prehistoric age since which the country has taken its own path of development independently of Russia Another message those stamps are trying to convey is that Ukraine has a long history dating back to the prehistoric age, and Halychyna-Volhynia Principality as the legitimate successor

to Kyiv Rus, later evolved into Crossackdom and finally has led to modern Ukraine The stamps carried images of Trillian relics of the prehistoric age, princes and remains of Kyiv Rus, coats of arms of old principalities, Cossack relics and Hetmans, and historical sufferings Ukraine has gone through such as German invasion, the Great Famine, and the Chernobyl disaster These historical images shown on the stamps represent an official declaration of Ukraine’s nationalist view of history

The same efforts can be found in Ukrainian bills Ukraine is currently using hryvnia, the monetary unit of Kiyv Rus in a bid to stress historical continuity In addition, Ukrainian bills and coins carried coats of arms and images of Kiys Rus princes such as Volydymyr and Yaroslav.13)

Following the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, a temporary currency, ‘Coupon’was used After 3 years of circulation, Coupon was replaced by hryvnia as the new legal tender Efforts continued under the government leadership to reinterpret history and build a new ethnic identity by changing symbols in bills The images below found in Ukrainian bills will be examined to understand the message the Ukrainian government is trying to communicate14):

Golden Lion (Feb 15, 1993) 4) 1100th anniversary of Halychyna-Volhynia Principality(Aug 8, 1998), 5) Founders of Kyiv (May 6, 1997), 6) Ascold and Dir (Founders of Kyivan State)(Jul 4, 1998), 7) Famous Ukrainian Woman - Prince Olha, the first Rus ruler who converted to Christianity at AD 890(Dec 17, 1997), 8) Cossacks in Ukraine (1992.3.3), 9) 350th anniversary of Ukrainian pathway toward independence - Bohdan Khmelnytsky (Hetman) (Jul 25, 1998)

13) Taras Kuzio, “Nation Building, History Writing and Competition over Legacy of Kyiv

Rus in Ukraine,” in Nationalities Papers, Vol 33, No 1, March 2005, p 44 In his

article, Kuzio discusses how the Ukrainophile view of the Kyiv Rus legacy is being promoted nowadays and also reclaims the past of Kyiv Rus for Ukrainian history For studies on symbols in Ukrainian bills, see also Simon Franklin, “Russia in time,” in

National Identity in Russian Culture: An Introduction (Cambridge & New York:

Cambridge University Press, 2004), pp 25-27

14) The following Ukrainian bills from picture 4 to 7 are from Franklin, “Russia in time,”

in National Identity in Russian Culture: An Introduction, pp 25-27

<Picture 5> Lybid(Либідь) on One Coupon Bill

Above is one Coupon bill used in 1991 The bill features Lybid(Либідь), the sister of Kyi(Кий) who led the construction of the city of Kyiv The image symbolizes the long history of Ukraine while suggesting that creating the city of Kyiv was part of Ukraine’s history, not Russian history

<Picture 6> Kyi Brothers on 1,000 Coupon Bill

Lybid and her brothers appear together on Coupon bills issued in 1992 Once agin, renewed emphasis is placed upon the history of construction of Kyiv as evidence that shows the long history and legitimacy of Ukraine

<Picture 7> A coupon bill featuring the trident, the symbol of Kyiv Rus

Coupons issued in 1993 are almost identical to the second Coupon bill, except for the trident, a coat of arms of Kyiv Rus This is intended to indicate that Kyiv Rus

is also a part of Ukrainian history

<Picture 8> A coupon bill featuring Volodymyr holding a cross

One of the most important events in the history of Kyiv Rus is introduction of Christianity by prince Volodymyr So far, it has been accepted as part of Russian history However, Ukraine asserts that the introduction of Christianity and Volodymyr are part of its own history

<Picture 9> The first hryvnia bill featuring prince Volodymyr with Cossack beard

Finally in 1993, Ukraine began to issue hryvnia starring Prince Volodymyr It is interesting to note that he has a beard in Picture 7 while on this note, he is characterized by a unique style of beard that is symbolic of Cosasscks It reflects Ukraine’s consistent efforts to emphasize historical continuity stretching from Kyiv Rus to the Cossackdom.15) As such, symbols which were previously perceived as belonging to Russia are now reinterpreted as those of Ukraine Furthermore, they are modified to fit the circumstances as in Picture 8, creating new meanings

15) Ibid., p 27

In short, globalization has brought about three major changes to Ukrainian symbols : First, Western culture, particularly symbols of capitalism have been widely accepted across the Ukrainian society Second, inflow of capitalist symbols fostered the creation of uniquely Ukrainian symbols Third, the Ukrainian government discoverednew symbols in its history, and modified and used them to support its legitimacy, historical continuity and cultural superiority What the Ukrainian government wishes

to achieve eventually is to build a new national identity for Ukrainian people on one hand, and on the other hand, to be recognized for historical continuity and legitimacy of the country by presenting the symbols to the outside world

2 Changes in the Perception of Heroes

Figures previously regarded as heroes disappeared upon the end of socialism Statues of Lenin and Stalin were brought down Instead, statues of Ukrainians who fought for independence and democracy were established.16) Particularly noteworthy

is the fact that the government took the initiative in the project which symbolizes the reinterpretation of the past and a new vision for the future of Ukraine

As mentioned earlier, the Ukrainian government sought to prove historical continuity and legitimacy by showing changes in the symbols Due to the reason that Ukraine and Russia originated from the same root of history, they have been

16) Since 1997, the statue of Yaroslav Mudry, the Wise and Grand Prince of Kyiv Rus was set up next to Zolota Vorota which was the golden gateway to Kyiv Rus, during the ceremony commemorating the Kyiv Day In 1996, the statue of Grand Prince Olha, the first Kyiv Rus who converted to Christianity was established right beside the statues of

St Cyril and Metodius standing at the heart of Kiev In 1996-1997, St Michael Cathedral, the golden-domed monastery was reconstructed Originally built in the 12th century by Sviatopolk II Iziaslavych, the cathedral was broken down by the Mongols and later rebuilt in 1496 Again, it was demolished by Stalin in 1935 and 1936 before

it was recently reconstructed The reconstructed St Michael Cathedral at the center of Kiev symbolizes that Kiev is the hub of Ukrainian Orthodox Church that is not controlled by Russia For more details on more historical monuments under reconstruction in Kiev, see Taras Kuzio, “Nation Building, History Writing and

Competition over Legacy of Kyiv Rus in Ukraine,” in Nationalities Papers, Vol 33,

No 1, March 2005, pp 44-46

divided over who the legitimate successor to Kyiv Rus is The Ukrainian governmenthas constantly emphasized Ukraine’s legitimacy as the successor to Kyiv Rus and as part of the persistent efforts, princes during the times of Kyiv Rus have been featured on stamps and bills with a particular focus on historical continuity

In addition to princes of Kyiv Rus, the government began to glorify scholars and writers who tried to promote nationalism in Ukraine For instance, the 5th stamp design17) that was introduced in independent Ukraine on May 16, 1992 features M

Kostomarov, the author of ‘Two Russian Nationalities’(Dve russkie narodnosti)18)published in the mid 19th century In the book, he took an academic approach to argue that Ukrainians have a national identity which is clearly independent of Russia.19) He also contributed greatly to the spread of Ukrainian nationalism The issuance of the stamp with Kostomarov on it immediately following independence can be viewed as an intentional move of the Ukrainian government aimed at raising Ukraine’s political status Subsequently, the government introduced stamps carrying various historical figures who fought or wrote for Ukraine’ independence, such as Taras Shevchenko, Ivan Franko, Lesyia Ukraina, and built their statues throughout the city in memory of them

One of the themes worthy of particular attention used in countless stamps issued after independence is Cossack The first stamp was something Cossack and later more stamps were issued with images of Cossack lifestyles, their valor and Cossack hetman.20) The coast of arms for the family of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, a Cossack hetman is currently used in the medals awarded by Ukrainian president The Ukrainiangovernment considers Cossacks as direct ancestors of independent Ukrainians and the

17) See “Ukrainian electronic stamp album”

http://www.ukrainian-philately.info/htmls/stmp1992/stmp0012.htm

18) M Kostomarov, “Dve russkie narodnosti,” Osnova, no 3 (1861), pp 33-80; For the translated version of this paper refer to “Two Russian Nationalities,” Trans Thomas M Prymak, in Towards an Intellectual History of Ukraine: An Anthology of Ukrainian Thought from 1710-1995 Ed Lindheim Ralph and George S N Luskyj (Toronto, Buffalo, and London: University of Toronto Press, 1996), pp 122-134

19) Sogu Hong, “Mykola Kostomarov and Ukrainian Folklore” M.A Thesis (University of Alberta, 1998), p 50

20) Hetman meaning “chief”, “head” or “leader” refers to a Cossack leader

model for contemporary Ukrainians to follow The national anthem of Ukraine describes Cossacks as brothers sharing the same values At the end of the song, it says, “let the world know that we are Cossacks” This is a good example showing that for the government of Ukraine, Cossacks are the model citizens Ukrainians should be like.

Ukraine’s glory hasn’t perished, nor her freedom.
Upon us, fellow compatriots, fate shall smile once more.
Our enemies will vanish, like dew in the morning sun,
And

we too shall rule, brothers, in a free land of our own We’ll lay down our souls and bodies to attain our freedom,
And we’ll show that we, brothers, are of the Kozak nation 21)

Then, who are considered heroes in the arena of pop culture? How many Ukrainians would associate themselves with princes of Kyiv Rus and Cossacks? With a strong sense of affiliation with its historical background and nationalism, Ukrainians can perhaps feel somewhat proud of Kyiv Rus princes and Cossacks In reality, however, more tangible and living figures are often glorified Globalization and growing influence of Western pop culture created so-called “stars” who have became idols for young Ukrainians These idols go beyond national boundaries of Ukraine and they are found extensively around the world Celebrities from all walks

of life such as actors and actresses, athletes, fashion models, pop singers, lawyers and doctors have emerged as heroes for many individuals This implies that the freedom to choose career is widely available in the Ukrainian society The issue is how fairly and equally such freedom is granted to individuals in the legal sense It

is closely related to another question : How has the value system of the Ukrainian society changed and how democratic is it?

21) ”Shche Ne Vmerla Ukrayina” which means “Ukraine is not yet dead”, composed by

Mykhailo Verbytsky in 1863 with the accompanying lyrics written in 1862 by Chubynsky, a prominent ethnographer was chosen as Ukraine’s national anthem Following the 1991 independence, the lyrics were partly revised and approved by the Parliament as the official national anthem of Ukraine in 2003 For more details, refer to http://pages.prodigy.net/l.hodges/anthem.htm