“Nationalization” of the Past and the Problem of the Social Relevance of History in Contemporary Ukraine

Abstract

The article deals with the problem of the social relevance of history in contemporary Ukraine. This problem is considered through the lens of the debate on national history and its limitations, which has been the central for the Ukrainian history writing since 1991. It is shown, that both proponents and opponents of the national paradigm support reductionist views on the practical role of history in contemporary society, reducing it either to an affirmation of national identity and serving immediate political needs or to a deconstruction of myths and stereotypes. Thereby, article also focuses on the propositions in Ukrainian and Anglo-American historiographies, which try to avoid this reductionism and combine the attention to positive practical functions of history writing with upholding the core principles of historical inquiry.