Civil Society and Culture of Resilience in Ukraine: Key Trajectories of Development and Role in Current Resistance

• In Event: Societal responses to the Russian war: grassroots initiatives’ and NGOs’ engagement in Poland and Ukraine

Abstract

This paper delves into the remarkable resilience and resistance demonstrated by Ukraine in the face of the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022. It unravels the multifaceted factors contributing to this resilience, focusing on the pivotal role of civil society which includes both formal and newly appeared horizontal grass-roots initiatives. It highlights how civil society's evolution and the ongoing war have catalyzed a new civic "culture of resilience" in Ukraine.
Should these changes be analyzed as a fast, but temporary response described in terms of "rally 'round the flag" (Feinstein 2022), "Zelensky effect" (Kudelia 2019, Onuch & Hale 2022), or whether they stem from the preceding institutional and societal changes, partly overlooked both by scholars and practitioners? The other theoretical framework of the paper includes the paradigms of strong and weak ties (Granovetter, 1982), social capital (Fukuyama, 2000; Lin, 2001), and civic culture and collective actions in civil society (Almond & Verba, 1963, Keane, 2001; Olson 1965; Theocharis, 2017).
The methodological approach combines data from the Civil Society Organization Sustainability Index, insights from Freedom House (Bidenko, 2022), results of quantitative opinion polls, and interviews with civil society representatives, collected by the author in Kyiv and Kharkiv. These sources reveal that Ukraine's civil society is among the most developed in the region, recognized for its ability to co-create reforms and galvanize public support. The paper draws on qualitative data, including interviews and content analysis.
The main argument of the paper is that Ukrainian civil society's contributions to resilience are the result of both longstanding developments and post-Euromaidan reforms. While grassroots initiatives and NGOs played a significant role, it was the broader societal shifts that contributed to the emergence of a civic "culture of resilience." These shifts include the changing dynamics of civic identity, language preferences, and increased civic participation.
Supporting evidence is drawn from the rapid expansion of civil society, particularly in 2022-2023, where a considerable increase in the number of organizations, especially local NGOs, was witnessed. This growth underscores that civil society's flourishing predates the full-scale war. The study also highlights the impact of recent reforms in public services, education, decentralization, and digitalization, which have fostered a more robust relationship between civil society, business, and state institutions.
The paper acknowledges potential threats to Ukraine's resilience, including burnout among activists and war fatigue among Western allies. It also highlights the risk of inequalities and the need for an inclusive, egalitarian, and transparent recovery process. In conclusion, this paper sheds light on the extraordinary resilience and resistance of Ukraine and the indispensable role of civil society. It challenges the underestimation of civil society's potential and underscores its vital contribution to shaping the future of Ukraine and its ability to withstand external pressures. The paper's findings hold relevance for understanding the broader impact of civil society in post-Soviet states and its significance in shaping democratic reforms and societal resilience in the face of adversity.

Bibliography
Bidenko Yulia (2022). Ukraine: Nations in Transit–2022 Country Report. Freedom House. https://freedomhouse.org/country/ukraine/nations-transit/2022
Bidenko, Julia. (2018). “(De)Structuring of the Civil Society in the Political Process in Ukraine and Belarus.”. In: Smith, D.H., Moldavanova, A.V. & Krasynska, S. (Eds.) The Nonprofit Sector in Eastern Europe, Russia and Central Asia: Civil Society Advances and Challenges. Leiden, Netherlands, and Boston, MA: Brill Publishers. Рр. 29-55.
Fukuyama, Francis. (2000). Social Capital and Civil Society. IMF Working Paper. https://doi.org/10.5089/9781451849585.001
Granovetter, Mark. (1982). “The Strength of Weak Ties: A Theory Revisited”. In Marsden P. V., & Lin N. (Ed.), Social structure and network analysis London: Sage. Pp. 201-233.
Sasse Gwendolyn & Bidenko Yuliya (2023). How Ukraine Forged a Culture of Resilience. Europe Inside Out Podcast. Carnegie-Europe. February, 8th. https://europe-inside-out.simplecast.com/episodes/how-ukraine-forged-a-culture-of-resilience/transcript

Author

• Yuliya Bidenko, 1) Karazin Kharkiv National University, Political Science Department 2) ZOiS-Berlin