UKRAINIAN DIASPORA FROM HISTORICAL AND THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

The article considers issues related to the phenomenon of the Ukrainian Diaspora and presented from a historical and theoretical point of view. Stories related to the emergence and transformation of certain components of the Diaspora are briefly analyzed and outlined. Cases of transformation of the population of Ukrainian ethnic lands outside the Ukrainian state or territories of diffuse settlement into the Diaspora in this country are described. A theoretically and practically important question has been raised: how much historical time is needed for the territories occupied by Ukrainian settlers to be considered Ukrainian ethnic territories. Another important question is when the Ukrainian Diaspora began to form. The author of the article believes that the Diaspora begins to form after the beginning of the formation of the modern Ukrainian nation, when social barriers between different groups of society become less important than the affiliation of all these groups to one nation. The article argues that in the twentieth century all Ukrainians living outside the UkrSSR belonged to the Ukrainian Diaspora and raises the question of whether Ukrainian seasonal workers and students and doctoral students from foreign universities belong to the Diaspora. The article pays special attention to the conflicts that have taken place and are taking place today with Ukrainians on ethnic lands and the Ukrainian Diaspora in the Russian Federation. Finally, the author raises the issue of the status of non-ethnic immigrants from Ukraine abroad in this case, if they do not sever ties with their homeland and support the Ukrainian state.