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This article surveys and discusses the latest wave of mass protests in Ukraine, the Euromaydan. This study situates the Euromaydan within the history of the other protests in post-communist Ukraine and makes a comparison to the Orange Revolution (the Orange Revolution). The authors recognize the importance of international factors, but argue that Ukrainian domestic political factors contributed significantly not only to the emergence, but also to escalation of the latest conflict in Ukraine. This study tests a theory about the role of institutional factors versus the role of cultural-historic legacies in the process of mass protest formation and conflict development. We argue that institutional factors, such as: governmental policies; the composition of governmental, opposition, and civil society groups; corruption; and timing of legislative activity on most divisive issues in Ukraine have contributed to the conflict escalation in Ukraine.

This article surveys and discusses the latest wave of mass protests in Ukraine, the Euromaydan. This study situates the Euromaydan within the history of the other protests in post-communist Ukraine and makes a comparison to the Orange Revolution (the Orange Revolution). The authors recognize the importance of international factors, but argue that Ukrainian domestic political factors contributed significantly not only to the emergence, but also to escalation of the latest conflict in Ukraine. This study tests a theory about the role of institutional factors versus the role of cultural-historic legacies in the process of mass protest formation and conflict development. We argue that institutional factors, such as: governmental policies; the composition of governmental, opposition, and civil society groups; corruption; and timing of legislative activity on most divisive issues in Ukraine have contributed to the conflict escalation in Ukraine. [Copyright The Regents of the University of California; published by Elsevier Ltd.]

The aim of the article was to identify the current state of the process of civil society transformation in the context of political radicalism in Eastern Europe. Comparative law and statistical analysis were the main methodological tools. The research showed that the development of political radicalism in Eastern Europe leads to the transformation of civil society. A more persistent and contentious public makes new demands on the political process. It also creates multidimensional tensions and conflicts. Representatives of radicalism gain strong positions in the political environment of society by supporting illiberalism, ethno-nationalism, culture wars and alternative knowledge. The process of merging militant and violent radicalism with family ethnonationalism is ongoing in the countries of Eastern Europe. It is concluded that this phenomenon requires constant implementation of political, legal and security strategies to prevent manifestations of political radicalism. The appropriateness and prospects of the activities of the Radicalization Awareness Network, developed by the European Union, were established.

This publication examines the features of the manifestations of political absenteeism and public activism in Ukrainian society. The phenomenon, causes of political absenteeism and its impact on the socio-political life in Ukraine are studied, as well as the ways to reduce absenteeism tendencies in our society are identified. Particular attention is placed on the spread of political absenteeism among young people and other age groups, which led to low turnout in the presidential and parliamentary elections in 2019 and the lowest turnout for the entire history of Ukraine in local elections in October 2020. It is shown that the introduction of foreign experience in overcoming of political absenteeism will allow to identify effective ways to reduce this phenomenon in Ukrainian society. The authors also study the phenomenon of public activism. It is noted that it gained special momentum during the Euromaidan, when political activity of citizens increased sharply against the background of total corruption in all branches of government, accompanied by a backdown from European integration course, the collapse of the army against the background of strengthening law enforcement agencies. The occupation of Crimea and Russian aggression in eastern Ukraine led to the development of volunteer battalions and volunteer movements. The authors note that in recent years the activity of citizens has focused primarily on solving pressing problems of local importance, in particular on combating illegal construction, protecting entrepreneurs from the arbitrariness of local authorities. To support the development of civic activism in Ukraine, different educational projects, online courses, trainings etc were organized. The state of public activism in Ukraine is analyzed, in particular - at the local level, aimed at establishing a real civil society, strengthening the influence of local communities to solve local problems, offers ways to improve the political culture of citizens.