De-Russification
Encyclopedia
Derussification is the policy of the Governments and the efforts of NGOs in the post-Soviet
countries
directed to reverse the consequences of the Russification
.
has made Ukrainian
the only official state language
and implemented government policies to broaden the use of Ukrainian language. The educational system in Ukraine has been transformed over the first decade of independence from a system that was overwhelmingly Russian
into partly Ukrainian. The government has also mandated a progressively increased role for Ukrainian in the media and commerce. In some cases, the abrupt changing of the language of instruction in institutions of secondary and higher education, led to the charges of assimilation
, raised mostly by the Russian-speaking population. However, the transition lacked most of the controversies that surrounded the derussification in several of the other former Soviet Republics.
In two presidential elections (1994 and 2004), the adoption of Russian
as an official language was an election promise
by one of the main candidates (Leonid Kuchma
in 1994, Viktor Yanukovych
in 2004). This promise contributed to Kuchma's win by bringing him the support of the eastern and southern regions, but in fact it could not be kept: the President is not authorized to change the country's Constitution
that stipulated Ukrainian as the sole official language.
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
countries
Republics of the Soviet Union
The Republics of the Soviet Union or the Union Republics of the Soviet Union were ethnically-based administrative units that were subordinated directly to the Government of the Soviet Union...
directed to reverse the consequences of the Russification
Russification
Russification is an adoption of the Russian language or some other Russian attributes by non-Russian communities...
.
Derussification of Ukraine since 1991
Since 1991, independent UkraineUkraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
has made Ukrainian
Ukrainian language
Ukrainian is a language of the East Slavic subgroup of the Slavic languages. It is the official state language of Ukraine. Written Ukrainian uses a variant of the Cyrillic alphabet....
the only official state language
Official language
An official language is a language that is given a special legal status in a particular country, state, or other jurisdiction. Typically a nation's official language will be the one used in that nation's courts, parliament and administration. However, official status can also be used to give a...
and implemented government policies to broaden the use of Ukrainian language. The educational system in Ukraine has been transformed over the first decade of independence from a system that was overwhelmingly Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
into partly Ukrainian. The government has also mandated a progressively increased role for Ukrainian in the media and commerce. In some cases, the abrupt changing of the language of instruction in institutions of secondary and higher education, led to the charges of assimilation
Cultural assimilation
Cultural assimilation is a socio-political response to demographic multi-ethnicity that supports or promotes the assimilation of ethnic minorities into the dominant culture. The term assimilation is often used with regard to immigrants and various ethnic groups who have settled in a new land. New...
, raised mostly by the Russian-speaking population. However, the transition lacked most of the controversies that surrounded the derussification in several of the other former Soviet Republics.
In two presidential elections (1994 and 2004), the adoption of Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
as an official language was an election promise
Election promise
An election promise is a promise made to the public by a politician who is trying to win an election. They have long been a central element of elections and remain so today...
by one of the main candidates (Leonid Kuchma
Leonid Kuchma
Leonid Danylovych Kuchma was the second President of independent Ukraine from 19 July 1994, to 23 January 2005. Kuchma took office after winning the 1994 presidential election against his rival, incumbent Leonid Kravchuk...
in 1994, Viktor Yanukovych
Viktor Yanukovych
Viktor Fedorovych Yanukovych is a Ukrainian politician who has been the President of Ukraine since February 2010.Yanukovych served as the Governor of Donetsk Oblast from 1997 to 2002...
in 2004). This promise contributed to Kuchma's win by bringing him the support of the eastern and southern regions, but in fact it could not be kept: the President is not authorized to change the country's Constitution
Constitution of Ukraine
The Constitution of Ukraine is the nation's fundamental law. The constitution was adopted and ratified at the 5th session of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on 28 June 1996. The constitution was passed with 315 ayes out of 450 votes possible .Other laws and other normative legal acts of Ukraine...
that stipulated Ukrainian as the sole official language.
External links
- Uralic family home page
- Language Controversy in Kyrgyzstan - Institute for War and Peace ReportingInstitute for War and Peace ReportingInstitute for War & Peace Reporting is an international media development charity, established in 1991. It runs major programmes in Afghanistan, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Iran, Iraq, the Balkans, Congo DRC, Tunisia and Uganda...
, 23 November 2005 - Ukrainian language - the third official? - Ukrayinska PravdaUkrayinska PravdaUkrayinska Pravda is a popular Ukrainian internet newspaper, founded by Georgiy R. Gongadze in April, 2000...
, 28 November 2005