The Influence of the Soviet Mythology on the Interpretation of World War II in the Ukrainian and Russian History Textbooks: Comparative Analysis
Staritsyna, Anna (2024)
2024
Master's Programme in Teaching, Learning and Media Education
Kasvatustieteiden ja kulttuurin tiedekunta - Faculty of Education and Culture
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Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2024-12-17
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-2024121711331
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-2024121711331
Tiivistelmä
The collapse of the USSR in 1991 resulted in the creation of 15 independent states, each developing unique political and cultural approaches to manifest geographical and mental borders. However, the shared past resulted in the survival of the Soviet mythology. This investigation focuses on the detection of the Soviet mythology in Ukrainian and Russian textbooks. Chapters 30-36 of the Ukrainian history textbook for the 10th grade by Pometyn and Hypan (2018) and chapters 20-25 of the Russian history textbook for the 10th grade by Horinov, Danilov, and Morykov (2021) are chosen for the analysis. They are dedicated to the disclosure of World War II since this period proved to be pivotal during the formation of the Soviet mythology as a component of the Soviet state building.
The qualitative approach, particularly critical discourse analysis, is applied. The mode of presence of the Soviet mythology is also subjected to scrutiny since selectivity and interpretation of popular Soviet myths through the prospect of modern paradigms might be utilized for the creation of the new mythologies of independent countries. The results of the research proved the Soviet mythology presence in both Ukrainian and Russian curriculums. However, its utilization differs drastically, reflecting the modern Ukrainian and Russian cultural development and policies. In the Russian context, the Soviet mythology appears classically and aims to strengthen the national idea resembling the USSR’s. In the Ukrainian context, Soviet myths are reimagined and transformed into tools for deliberating the Ukrainian national idea, separate and opposed to the USSR’s.
The qualitative approach, particularly critical discourse analysis, is applied. The mode of presence of the Soviet mythology is also subjected to scrutiny since selectivity and interpretation of popular Soviet myths through the prospect of modern paradigms might be utilized for the creation of the new mythologies of independent countries. The results of the research proved the Soviet mythology presence in both Ukrainian and Russian curriculums. However, its utilization differs drastically, reflecting the modern Ukrainian and Russian cultural development and policies. In the Russian context, the Soviet mythology appears classically and aims to strengthen the national idea resembling the USSR’s. In the Ukrainian context, Soviet myths are reimagined and transformed into tools for deliberating the Ukrainian national idea, separate and opposed to the USSR’s.