Measuring and validating the Ukrainian ethnic coherence instrument

Scott Feinstein

Post-Soviet Affairs, 2025, vol. 41, issue 2, 142-160

Abstract: To assess Ukrainian ethnic coherence, scholars have employed single-item scales such as language preference and national identity. In practice, these approaches can downplay the multidimensional nature of ethnic coherence. To address this concern, I propose a multidimensional theory of Ukrainian ethnic coherence and validate its measure with a survey in government-controlled Ukraine (n = 1,004). The factor analysis validated an 18-item scale composed of four robust indicators: myths of origin and fate, symbols of territory, language as a community symbol, and traditions of collective action. I then assessed the level of shared understanding of the four indicators and their relationship to demographic characteristics. Ethnic Ukrainians demonstrated a high level of shared understanding of myths of origin and fate and language as a community symbol, followed by traditions of collective action. Nevertheless, they demonstrated low agreement about which territorial boundaries represent ethnic Ukrainians. The study also presents socio-economic drivers that influence ethnic coherence.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1080/1060586X.2024.2440293

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