The Second Session of the XVII USPS Programme

When discussing culture and decolonisation processes, we often try to impose our impressions and contexts of the 21 century on the previous ones. However, this practice can contribute to mythologising certain figures rather than their critical understanding. The ability to be critical (but not criticasters) of oneself is one way of decolonising and understanding one’s cultural heritage.

At the opening of the Second Session of the Ukrainian School of Political Studies, participants discussed (post)colonial societies and literature as factors of cognitive de-occupation with Yevhenii Stasinevych, a literary critic and scholar.

How many people actually use the right to “vote”? Every society has a certain share of an apathetic population. “Passive” citizens who use “exit” instead of “vote,” that is, do not attend the elections, leave for another country instead of changing something in their own, etc. And it is the balance of “active” and “passive” citizens that ensures the stability of the political system. Instead, the mobilisation of any one group can lead to unpredictable consequences.

For Ukrainian society, the question of elections is extremely pressing because, after the war, we will face many challenges: how to hold elections? Who will vote? What should the voting system be like in the de-occupied territories? Is it worth imposing restrictions? School participants searched for answers to all these questions with Mykhailo Koltsov, PhD in Philosophy, World Bank analyst, and permanent USPS lecturer.

We influence people with our appearance – whether we like it or not. Our appearance is always a choice and a statement reflecting our inner state, physical and mental. The details here are essential.

During the Second Session of the USPS 2024, participants talked with Svitlana Matvienko, Director of the Ukrainian School of Political Studies and Executive Director of the Agency for Legislative Initiatives, about the “body of the state,” “body of the sovereign,” and “body of Ukraine” torn by the war, as well as about the anthropological features of working with the population in de-occupied territories.

History has many examples of asymmetric relations between states and the wars that started due to them. Wars bring suffering and destruction. But the ordeal of war transforms societies, so new communities are born from the flames.

How do types of military-civilian relations change after asymmetric wars? What can the consequences of the asymmetric Russian-Ukrainian war be? What challenges will we face after the de-occupation? The Second Session of USPS participants discussed this with Ivan Gomza, PhD in Political Sciences, Professor of the Faculty of Master Humanities and Social Sciences at the Kyiv School of Economics.

The influence of a true leader can and should determine the future on a state scale and in more global dimensions. What shall the Ukrainian leader be like, and who will return to the occupied territories? What has to be done to make the world a better place? How can we use technologies to our advantage, particularly artificial intelligence, which is rapidly “taking over the world”?

Participants of USPS 2024 discussed this together with Pavlo Klimkin, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (2014–2019) during the Second Session.

Russia says to Crimeans: “We are here forever.” This very dangerous narrative affects the consciousness of local residents of the peninsula. During the ten years of occupation, life in Crimea did not stop: Russia created and is trying to legitimise its own “administrations” on the peninsula, is actively spreading propaganda, and attempts to recruit residents into the armed forces of the Russian Federation while also issuing Russian passports. All these created prerequisites not only for the physical occupation of the peninsula but also for the “mental” one. One of the biggest stages of work in the process of Crimea’s reintegration is cognitive de-occupation – the destruction of myths and phobias imposed on Crimeans by the Russians.

Together with Tamila Tasheva, the Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, participants discussed the Strategy of cognitive de-occupation, which measures are already being implemented, and how citizens can join it.

Political parties are the critical element of the functioning of the democratic system, but the level of trust in political parties in Ukraine is constantly decreasing. However, problems with political parties are not a purely Ukrainian phenomenon. A certain level of decline in democratic values and the growth of authoritarian moods have turned into a global problem. Many countries have faced the challenges of growing corruption, abuse of power, monetisation of politics, populism, and weak public control over political processes.

So, what are the perspectives of political parties in Ukraine? How to ensure the stability of parties both during and between election processes? How to ensure the stability of political parties in the de-occupied territories? And what shall the party diplomacy be? Participants of USPS discussed this with Marcin Walecki, Director of the National Democratic Institute in Ukraine.

The ongoing war requires all of us, without exception, to be ready for any challenge. Every shelling poses a threat to the health and life of our citizens. The enemy is approaching – our defenders push it back. But some territories and what is most importantly – our people – find themselves under occupation. De-occupation then takes place kinetically. Therefore, now, more than ever, we must understand how important it is to be ready to provide first aid to ourselves and others.

We are grateful to Fedir Serdiuk, this year’s USPS participant, and the instructors of the FAST for the training. Transmitting the value of responsibility will help us make a quantum jump in first aid. Now, every participant is more confident in his or her skills, and USPS has become safer.

Religion had a great influence on the formation of the Ukrainian state. After the Union of Brest, church environments became the first hubs of Ukrainian national identity. The shared reliving of religious experience brings people together, so a priest who conducts liturgies in good faith becomes closer to the community, empathises, and cooperates with it.

Participants discussed with Andrii Andrushkiv, a junior lieutenant of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, master of theology, and a 2016 USPS graduate, the church’s role in cognitive de-occupation and further church policy after the Ukrainian victory.

We are grateful to The Partnership Fund for a Resilient Ukraine for supporting the holding of the USPS Second Session this year and for the opportunity to discuss such interesting and pressing topics.