John-Paul Himka I estimate that in 1815 about 90 percent of those who used the Ukrainian language in their daily life were enserfed peasants. They were also the only ones who retained and continued to creatively develop traditional folkways. The Ukrainian elite in the Russian empire – mainly descendents of the former cossack officer class … Continue reading Democratic Developments in Nineteenth-Century Ukraine
What Might This War Do to Russia?
John-Paul Himka This is the third installment of a trilogy of texts from a historian’s perspective about the possibility of democratic change in Russia. In the first, I pointed out that Russia doesn’t have much of a democratic tradition in its political culture and that there have only been a few moments of potential transition … Continue reading What Might This War Do to Russia?
IS RUSSIA IRREDEEMABLE?
John-Paul Himka In a previous contribution to the Ukraine Solidarity Campaign, I outlined how three historical moments of democratic transition in Russia were aborted and how the kind of centralized, repressive, and aggressive government represented by tsarism, Stalin, and now Putin has reasserted itself. I ended that piece with a question: Can Russia break out … Continue reading IS RUSSIA IRREDEEMABLE?
THE FRAILTY OF RUSSIAN DEMOCRACY
John-Paul Himka The past does not determine the future, but it certainly has a substantial influence on it. In this text, I want to consider how Russia’s previous experiences with democratic transition have helped create the condition of that state now – an authoritarian state that stifles basic civic rights at home and wages a … Continue reading THE FRAILTY OF RUSSIAN DEMOCRACY
An Brief History of Ukraine
Video of forum with John-Paul Himka and book list https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pYWG7qiTEY Following our event an Introduction to the History of Ukraine with historian John-Himka we are providing a list of books on Ukraine which may be of interest and help develop understanding of Ukraine. Books on Ukrainian History Magocsi, Paul Robert. Ukraine: A Historical Atlas. Toronto: … Continue reading An Brief History of Ukraine
Ten Turning Points: A Brief History of Ukraine
John-Paul Himka The current war being waged on Ukraine has provoked a surge of support for the people of Ukraine. To help a greater understanding of Ukraine we are hosting an online event on 21 April 8:00 PM (London time) with the Ukrainian historian John-Paul Himka: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE HISTORY OF UKRAINE. In advance … Continue reading Ten Turning Points: A Brief History of Ukraine
Ukraine’s Socialist Heritage
By John-Paul Himka May Day in the then Austrian ruled West Ukrainian city of Lviv, ealry 1900's. Putin’s Russia is raining destruction down on the citizens and infrastructure of Ukraine, supposedly in the name of the “denazification” of the country. The Russian president and his propaganda machine have been greatly exaggerating the strength of neofascist … Continue reading Ukraine’s Socialist Heritage
Ukrainian Nationalists and the Holocaust
New Book by John-Paul Himka An important new book by the respected Ukrainian historian John-Paul Himka is now available - Ukrainian Nationalists and the Holocaust, OUN and UPA’s Participation in the Destruction of Ukrainian Jewry, 1941–1944. Published in the Ukrainian Voices series by ibidem Verlag. John-Paul Himka is the author of a number of important … Continue reading Ukrainian Nationalists and the Holocaust
Кампанія Солідарності з Україною 