Description
In 2004, world attention was focused on Ukraine's 'Orange Revolution', which appeared to herald a new and promising era for independent Ukraine. Though such hopes proved over-optimistic there is no question that Ukraine has embarked on the process of nation building. But a new nation needs a national history and in this sphere, there has been sustained debate over the interpretations of the recent past. David R. Marples examines these narratives through a wide variety of books, scholarly and newspaper articles, and school textbooks, focusing on some of the most difficult events of the Stalin years in narratives from 1988 to 2005.His focus is on some of the most tragic events of the 20th century: the Famine of 1932-33, the consequences of the Nazi-Soviet Pact, integral nationalism and the war roles of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) and Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), and the Ukrainian-Polish conflict of 1943-47. How has this new history been formed? To what extent have the villains of yesterday become the heroes of today? And how does the modern state view these events and to what extent to they define the national outlook of contemporary Ukraine?
About the Author
David R. Marples teaches at the Department of History & Classics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Reviews
"Nation-building in Ukraine is far from complete, and it seems unlikely that the population from the southern and eastern regions of the country will ever fully internalise the Ukrainian national idea, as it is ingrained in Western Ukraine. Historians can make a vital contribution to the promotion of a common idea of national identity. As this book shows, Ukrainian historians have often strayed too far from an objective reading of history by seeking to maximally distance themselves from Soviet presentations and by allowing ideological purposes to infect their scholarly effort. Probably, these factors are part of the explanation of why the national idea has not caught on with large parts of the population. Marples' book is an interesting case study of what happens to the discipline of history when it is suddenly set the formidable task of rewriting history and becomes inseparable from political intrigue."
"Durch die Unabhangigkeit von 1991 bestehe in der Ukraine die Notwendigkeit, eine neue nationale Geschichte zu konstruieren, die die bisherige sowjetische Geschichtsinterpretation abloesen koenne, und die trotz regionaler, generationeller und ethnischer Unterschiede von der ganzer Bevoelkerung der Ukraine akzeptiert werden koenne. Marples hat sich zur Aufgabe gesetzt, diesen Prozess der Diskussion und Neukonstruktion einer (oder mehrerer) neuer nationaler Geschichten anhand zweier Grossthemen nachzuzeichnen."
"The strength of Marples's book lies in its ability to survey a range of discourses that clash and intelock at various points. He establishes the ambivalent attitude in the contemporary discourse to these crucial historical events and shows how the debate has evolved. With the opening of archives in Ukraine to researchers and a greater familiarity with Western and 'diaspora' interpretations, Soviet mythology has been gradually jettisoned, but a competing orthodoxy has not been established. Marples's book provides a service to the scholarly community by summarizing key texts and arguments and by providing as balanced and dispassionate an exposition of the topic as one is likely to find."
"Marples erklart in seiner Monographie wie nach dem Zerfall ders Sowjetunion und der Entstehung des semiprasidialen Republik die sowjetisch-ukrainische Geschichte zu einer national-ukrainischen Geschichte umgedeutet wurde und welche Vielfalt an geschichtpolitischen Problemen dies aufwarf: 'Die Lehrer des Marxismus-Lininismus sind auf einmal zu Lehrern der ukrainischen Nationalgeschichte geowrden."
"David Marples has offered us an unusual book. Intrigued by the heavy reliance on history to craft a sense of national indentity in post-Soviet Ukraine, Marples sets out to explore the various historical narratives of the Ukrainian experience of Soviet rule. He evaluates these competing narratives in terms of their potential to shape collective memories and inform perceptions of a common historical experience that could provide the cultural underpinnings of the political project of nation building."
Book Information
ISBN 9789639776296
Author David R. Marples
Format Paperback
Page Count 386
Imprint Central European University Press
Publisher Central European University Press
Weight(grams) 468g
About the Author
David R. Marples teaches at the Department of History & Classics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Reviews
"Nation-building in Ukraine is far from complete, and it seems unlikely that the population from the southern and eastern regions of the country will ever fully internalise the Ukrainian national idea, as it is ingrained in Western Ukraine. Historians can make a vital contribution to the promotion of a common idea of national identity. As this book shows, Ukrainian historians have often strayed too far from an objective reading of history by seeking to maximally distance themselves from Soviet presentations and by allowing ideological purposes to infect their scholarly effort. Probably, these factors are part of the explanation of why the national idea has not caught on with large parts of the population. Marples' book is an interesting case study of what happens to the discipline of history when it is suddenly set the formidable task of rewriting history and becomes inseparable from political intrigue."
"Durch die Unabhangigkeit von 1991 bestehe in der Ukraine die Notwendigkeit, eine neue nationale Geschichte zu konstruieren, die die bisherige sowjetische Geschichtsinterpretation abloesen koenne, und die trotz regionaler, generationeller und ethnischer Unterschiede von der ganzer Bevoelkerung der Ukraine akzeptiert werden koenne. Marples hat sich zur Aufgabe gesetzt, diesen Prozess der Diskussion und Neukonstruktion einer (oder mehrerer) neuer nationaler Geschichten anhand zweier Grossthemen nachzuzeichnen."
"The strength of Marples's book lies in its ability to survey a range of discourses that clash and intelock at various points. He establishes the ambivalent attitude in the contemporary discourse to these crucial historical events and shows how the debate has evolved. With the opening of archives in Ukraine to researchers and a greater familiarity with Western and 'diaspora' interpretations, Soviet mythology has been gradually jettisoned, but a competing orthodoxy has not been established. Marples's book provides a service to the scholarly community by summarizing key texts and arguments and by providing as balanced and dispassionate an exposition of the topic as one is likely to find."
"Marples erklart in seiner Monographie wie nach dem Zerfall ders Sowjetunion und der Entstehung des semiprasidialen Republik die sowjetisch-ukrainische Geschichte zu einer national-ukrainischen Geschichte umgedeutet wurde und welche Vielfalt an geschichtpolitischen Problemen dies aufwarf: 'Die Lehrer des Marxismus-Lininismus sind auf einmal zu Lehrern der ukrainischen Nationalgeschichte geowrden."
"David Marples has offered us an unusual book. Intrigued by the heavy reliance on history to craft a sense of national indentity in post-Soviet Ukraine, Marples sets out to explore the various historical narratives of the Ukrainian experience of Soviet rule. He evaluates these competing narratives in terms of their potential to shape collective memories and inform perceptions of a common historical experience that could provide the cultural underpinnings of the political project of nation building."
Book Information
ISBN 9789639776296
Author David R. Marples
Format Paperback
Page Count 386
Imprint Central European University Press
Publisher Central European University Press
Weight(grams) 468g
