Preservation of Ukrainian identity among female-refugees in Germany during the war 2022

Yuliya Byelikova

On February 24 2022, together with the large-scale phase of Russia's war against Ukraine, an active process of transformation of national identity began. Since 1991, with the independence of Ukraine, Ukrainian national identity has gradually increased: the number of Ukrainian-speaking members of the population, those who identify themselves as Ukrainians, those who are proud to be Ukrainians has increased. The beginning of the war in 2014 accelerated the processes of strengthening national identity. 

The research is focused on reidentification processes among Ukrainian refugees in Germany in 2022, that is, changes in national identity because of double cultural trauma (because of war and moving abroad). The survey was conducted to measure components of national identity: constructive patriotism, civic citizenship, ethnic citizenship, as well as the impact of cultural and social factors on the process of reidentification of Ukrainian refugees. Analysis of open-ended responses about topical problems allowed us to build a map of female refugee’s challenges. Content-analysis of telegram-chat-groups of Ukrainian refugees gave the opportunity to describe the role of social media in the adaptation process.

Latest publications

Byelikova, Y. (2024). Challenges of Ukrainian refugees in Germany: Resources for women’s empowerment. Migration and Diversity, 3(1), 51-69. doi:10.33182/md.v3i1.3221

Karimi, A., & Byelikova, Y. (2024). Wartime (im)mobilities: effects of aspirations-capabilities on displaced Ukrainians in Canada and Germany and their viewpoints on those who remain in Ukraine. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies. doi:10.1080/1369183X.2024.2305282.

Byelikova, Y., & Lysytsia, N. (2023). The influence of cultural factors on the reidentification of Ukrainian refugees. Transitions: Journal of Transient Migration, 7(1-2), 71-89. doi:10.1386/tjtm_00052_1.