The conflict in Ukraine has deep domestic roots. A third of the population, primarily in the East and South, regards its own Russian cultural identity as entirely comparable with a Ukrainian civic identity. The state’s reluctance to recognize this ethnos as a legitimate part of the modern Ukrainian nation, has created a tragic cycle that entangles Ukrainian politics.

The Tragedy of Ukraine argues that in order to untangle the conflict within the Ukraine, it must be addressed on an emotional, as well as institutional level.

The author: Nicolai N. Petro is a Professor of Political Science at the University of Rhode Island, specializing in Russia and Ukraine. His professional focus is on the role that religion, history, and cultural symbols can play in democratic development.

The presentation will be followed by a panel discussion with Professors Klaus Mueller (AGH University of Science & Technology, Kraków) and Volodymyr Ishchenko (FU-OEI).