WE WILL NOT CHANGE HISTORY. THE ROLE OF POLISH-UKRAINIAN SCIENTIFIC PROJECTS IN BUILDING EFFECTIVE STRATEGIC COOPERATION IN THE REGION OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE
Authors: Getka Yoanna , Grącka Monika , Kramar Rostyslav 
Published: December 2023

Abstract

The aim of the article is to highlight the neo-imperial policy of Russia, which uses the same socio-technical methods regardless of the historical period, aimed at destabilizing Europe, especially Central and Eastern Europe, as its sphere of influence, as well as the buffer zone between Russia and the rest of Europe. The authors of the article present the Russian narrative on Polish-Ukrainian relations in order to fuel mutual conflicts, recall historical disputes, and provoke problems in bilateral relations. Importantly, Russian propaganda has institutional support in the education of the next generation of Russians, including: methodologies “The concept of a new didactic and methodological complex of native history”, which strengthens the cultural myths spread by the Russian authorities about Poles, Ukrainians and Polish-Ukrainian relations. The aim of the article is to propose a solution to the problem based on data analysis.

Methodology. When preparing the article, the basic principles of historical and cultural knowledge were applied: historicism, science, objectivity. The specific research tasks of the study were solved using historical-comparative and cultural methods (analysis of various sources and formulation of appropriate records and conclusions from the research) and through critical analysis of sources. The preliminary conclusions formulated in the article are based on survey materials.

Conclusions. The analysis of the state of knowledge of young Poles about Ukrainians and Ukrainian culture and the history of Ukraine, as well as of young Ukrainians about Poles, Polish culture and the history of Poland, proves that despite a year of intensive contact forced by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, their knowledge about themselves is low. This still gives Russia grounds for disinformation activities: it allows Russia to formulate separate narratives addressed to Poles and Ukrainians, and thus act to the detriment of building good-neighborly Polish-Ukrainian relations. Demystifying identity myths used by Russia to fuel Polish-Ukrainian conflicts is a huge responsibility of Ukrainian contemporary humanities. Diagnosing the state of knowledge about history, culture and value system among the young generation of Poles and Ukrainians who are starting their professional life is of strategic importance: eliminating existing cultural stereotypes by providing reliable knowledge, activities for integration and building intercultural dialogue, as well as raising awareness of the importance of the community of Polish-Ukrainian experiences. Ukrainian; is the basis for building lasting good-neighborly contacts in the future. This type of research will be carried out by a Polish-Ukrainian research group as part of the "Welcome in Poland" project, financed by the Foundation for the Development of Polish Science.

Keywords: Poland, Ukraine, history of Ukraine, Polish-Ukrainian cultural contacts, Russian cultural imperialism, 2022, Russian aggression in Ukraine.