Mychailo Wynnyckyj

During the ongoing war with Russia, Ukrainians have demonstrated the effectiveness of new heterarchic organizational structures in volunteer organizations, small military groups, and local territorial defense mobilization. Furthermore, they have obviously established that previously accepted representations of Ukraine as a linguistically and regionally divided society are not rooted in fact: that a consolidated Ukrainian identity exists, strong enough to resist Russian aggression. Finally, the concept of “dignity” which was central to the 2014 protest movement has gained new elucidation in war.

This project seeks to extend thinking about the unique and effective structures formed by Ukrainians, and about their novel conceptions of dignity and identity, into the realm of institution-building. How can the ideas and organizational forms established through revolution and war become the basis for new institutions in peace-time? What constitutional changes in the state apparatus may result? What are the required social bases and processes for implementing such institutional change?