Mikayla Pate CAPS #1

Ukraine Protests & Identity

The 3 types of identity and intercultural communication are social science, interpretive, and critical. Social Science identities are created by the self by relating to groups.  Interpretive identities are created by communication with others, these types of identities focus and emphasize on avowal and ascribed dimensions. The avowal dimension is the process in which an individual portrays themselves. The ascribed dimension is the process by which others attribute identities to an individual. The Critical identities are shaped through both social and historical forces. This type of identity examines contexts and resistance, attention, and oppression.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/01/25/266145285/ukraine-minister-says-talks-with-protesters-are-futile

This article, titled “Ukraine Minister Says Talks With Protesters Are 'Futile'” was published on January 25, 2014. The article speaks about the protesters in the Ukraine and how they are taking over some Government buildings in West Ukraine. In the Capital City Kiev, protesters took over the City Hall- taking hostage three officers. One officer was released and then hospitalized with stab wounds. The protesters are armed with rocks and firebombs as Police both threaten and warn that they will storm the building. The Police are armed with gas and stun grenades.  The protesters have taken over numerous buildings in over 12 cities all across Western Ukraine since last November.  The protesters are responding to the Government rejecting a treaty with the European Union in exchange for a closer relationship with Moscow. Protesters are angry because Moscow ruled over Ukraine until the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. The President is responding to these protests by attempting to release prisoners arrested from protests and revise and create new laws that will make nearly all types of protests illegal. 

The different socio-cultural identities that are being associated with these protests are mainly those associated with radical far right groups. The groups that are being involved with these protests are Bratstvo (Brother), Right Sector, and Svoboda (Freedom). The categories of the socio-cultural identities that are being connected to these events include mainly age, ethnicity, and nationality.  The age of the protesters are mainly young, and students are playing a large role in the protests. The popularity of the radical far right groups comes from the young adults and students.  The ethnicity that the protesters are associating themselves with is largely from the Kiev area and Western Ukraine. These areas are populated with Ukrainians and the majority language spoken there is Ukrainian. Even though these are the majority of the protesters it is not to say that those from Eastern and Western Ukraine aren't involved. In the Eastern and Western parts of the nation the main language is Russian and more citizens in that part of the County are supporting the choice to abandon the EU treaty in favor of a better relationship with Moscow. The regional identity is a very strong identity in which these protesters associated themselves with. The ethnicity of the protesters are the ones who associate themselves separately from those in the East and West. These protesters are associating themselves with Ukraine rather than having any Russian or Soviet Union ties. The language used is a big supporter of this. Nationality is a big identity that these protesters are using to identify themselves. This may be the most important identity in which they have- it is the identity that they are fighting to uphold.  The Soviet Union ruled over what is now Ukraine until it’s demise in 1991, then the area gained it’s independence and became Ukraine which consists of 28 blocs. The protesters are associating themselves as Ukrainians and are not wanting to be associated with the Russians. This is a huge part towards the reasons behind the protests. The protesters associating themselves with the above socio-cultural traits and attributes mean that in terms of intercultural communication there is resistance towards developing minority identities (that would be created by creating closer ties with Moscow). The core symbols are things that are shared by the protesters, and by being a part of the protests they are creating a class identity.

Bigg, Claire. "Far-Right Ukrainian Opposition Group Vows 'Guerrilla' War'" RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. N.p., 26 Jan. 2014. Web. 27 Jan. 2014.

Neuman, Scott. "Ukraine Minister Says Talks With Protesters Are 'Futile'" NPR. NPR, 25 Jan. 2014. Web. 26 Jan. 2014.

"Q&A: Stand-off in Ukraine over EU Agreement." BBC News. BBC, 26 Jan. 2014. Web. 27 Jan. 2014.