Trapped in the Quadratic Nexus: The Role of the Language Issue in Ukraine’s Conflict
Trapped in the Quadratic Nexus: The Role of the Language Issue in Ukraine’s Conflict

Summary/Abstract: Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine has resulted in the need to reassess all ofUkraine’s previous ethnolinguistic and identity policies that have been enacted since its independence.Internal contradictions within Ukraine and the vulnerability of its policies were skillfullyused by Russia in 2014, resulting in the annexation of the Crimean Peninsula and the war in theDonbass region. For a genuinely bilingual state, such as Ukraine, language policies are amongthose topics that trigger strong emotions in society. This text analyzes the language-related rhetoricof foreign actors within the context of Russia’s ongoing aggression. Assuming Russia’s claimsagainst Ukraine, the text applies Rogers Brubaker’s triadic nexus theory adjusted to David Smith’squadratic nexus, taking into account Ukraine’s geopolitical preferences crystallized in the country’sEuropean integration. Based on the analysis of the language-related legislation and official statistics,the text concludes that Ukraine failed to elaborate consistent language policies that addressthe needs of all its diverse regions in a balanced manner. It also shows that Ukraine was late in theobjective assessment of Russia’s threat that stemmed from ethnic and linguistic domains.

• Details
• Contents