Taras Kuzio Libri

Post-communist democratic revolutions have occurred in six countries: Slovakia (1998), Croatia (1999-2000), Serbia (2000), Georgia (2003), Ukraine (2004), and Kyrgyzstan (2005). This volume comprises seven chapters that analyze these events from a theoretical and comparative standpoint, drawing on extensive field research by political scientists focused on comparative democratization, regime politics, and electoral studies in the post-communist context. Contributions from scholars such as Valerie Bunce, Sharon Wolchik, and Steven Levitsky delve into various regime types and opposition strategies, examining the diffusion of these strategies across states, the role of youth NGOs in mobilizing democratic movements, and the effectiveness of non-violent opposition tactics. The text also discusses theoretical explanations for the success or failure of these revolutions and the divergent paths taken by post-revolutionary states. It highlights challenges faced by Serbia, Ukraine, and Kyrgyzstan in consolidating their democratic gains, including the resilience of ousted regimes and their ability to stage counter-revolutions. This volume offers critical insights into why some democratic upheavals succeed while others falter, making it essential reading for scholars and policymakers interested in the dynamics of post-communist transitions.

Russia has always had a difficult time accepting Ukraine as an independent state -and even more trouble acknowledging Ukraine's sovereignty over the Crimea and the port of Sevastopol.

This volume features 15 articles organized into four sections covering theoretical and comparative studies, nationalism's role in democratic transitions, theory application to case studies, and the influence of history and myths on national identities. It introduces new theories through discussions with prominent nationalism scholars. Hans Kohn’s ideas are examined regarding the term ‘civic’ in liberal democracies, while Rogers Brubaker questions the classification of European states as ‘civic’ versus ‘nationalising,’ given their historical context. Will Kymlicka explores multiculturalism's relevance in post-communist states, and Paul Robert Magocsi highlights the lack of data supporting claims of national minority revivals in Ukraine. The volume also critiques ‘transitology’ by comparing regions with only political reforms to those experiencing ‘quadruple transitions’ involving democratic, market, state, and nation-building reforms. A comparative analysis of Serbian and Russian diasporas reveals differing reactions to the disintegration of Yugoslavia and the USSR. The text challenges historians using imperial frameworks, examines the re-writing of Ukrainian history through post-colonial lenses, and discusses Ukraine’s identity formation within theories of ‘Others.’ Lastly, it proposes a new framework for studying Ukrainian ethnic relations, moving beyond the traditional view of nationalism as a West Ukrainian phenomenon.

The transformation of Soviet Ukraine into an independent state is the central focus, highlighting the crucial role of state building alongside democratization and market economy development. The narrative emphasizes that these elements are interconnected in the broader transition process, providing insights into the complexities of nation-building in a post-Soviet context.

The book explores the 2014 Russia-Ukraine conflict and its significant impact on Russia-West relations, framing it as a new cold war. It delves into various Russian tactics, including annexations, election interference, cyber warfare, and disinformation campaigns, illustrating how these actions stem from Vladimir Putin's perception of an ongoing war against the West. The analysis highlights the West's gradual recognition of these threats and the broader implications for international relations.

This book details how Russia’s February 2022 open invasion of Ukraine has led to the biggest military conflagration and refugee crisis in Europe since World War II—a development with global ramifications. Co-written by a leading Western political expert, with three decades of research on contemporary Ukraine, and a prolific British journalist, the book explains why Russian President Vladimir Putin has been long obsessed with Ukraine and how his reliance on dated nationalist myths as well as anti-Western xenophobia led him to miscalculate Ukrainian and Western reactions to his brazen aggression against a sovereign country and founding member of the United Nations since 1945. Taras Kuzio and Stefan Jajecznyk-Kelman analyze how Putin’s blunders have led to the collapse of Russia’s Eurasian sphere of influence, to the growth of China’s presence in Russia’s backyard in Central Asia, and to conditions for the toppling of Putin’s regime. The book focuses on: - the roots of Putin’s obsession with Ukraine and the genocidal policies his army is pursuing through war crimes, deportations of millions of Ukrainians as well as destruction of property and infrastructure, - why the supposed ‘second biggest army in the world’ is being defeated by Ukraine, a country Russian nationalists argue is fictitious, and by a Ukrainian people they claim does not exist, - how Ukraine is fighting a people’s war with a nation-wide volunteer movement, civil society, and international supporters who are backing the Ukrainian army through fund raising, purchasing of supplies and military equipment, such as drones, and through an ‘IT Army’ fighting Russia’s invasion in cyber space and the hacking of Russian media, - how the invasion is having profound negative implications for Russian-Ukrainian relations and why in breaking from Moscow, Ukraine is again the key actor—as it was in 1991—in the disintegration of the Soviet and Russian empires, and - how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has led to global crises in economic growth, trade, and finances, as well as to changing geopolitical alliances, with the decline of Russia creating a vacuum that allows for the rise of China.

The Crimea was the only region of Ukraine in the 1990s where separatism arose and inter-ethnic conflict potentially could have taken place between the Ukrainian central government, ethnic Russians in the Crimea, and Crimean Tatars. Such a conflict would have inevitably drawn in Russia and Turkey. Russia had large numbers of troops in the Crimea within the former Soviet Black Sea Fleet. Ukraine also was a nuclear military power until 1996. This book analyses two inter-related issues. Firstly, it answers the question why Ukraine-Crimea-Russia traditionally have been a triangle of conflict over a region that Ukraine, Tatars and Russia have historically claimed. Secondly, it explains why inter-ethnic violence was averted in Ukraine despite Crimea possessing many of the ingredients that existed for Ukraine to follow in the footsteps of inter-ethnic strife in its former Soviet neighbourhood in Moldova (Trans-Dniestr), Azerbaijan (Nagorno Karabakh), Georgia (Abkhazia, South Ossetia), and Russia (Chechnya).

The book delves into Ukraine's post-Communist transition, examining critical themes such as nation and state building, the complexities of national identity and regionalism, and the evolution of politics and civil society. It also addresses the challenges of economic transition and security policy, providing a comprehensive analysis of the country's transformation and the factors influencing its current state.

Focusing on the significant political and economic transformations in post-soviet Ukraine, this book provides a comprehensive analysis of developments since the pivotal 1994 elections. It explores the ambitious reforms initiated to dismantle Soviet influence, stabilize the separatist Crimean region, and improve relations with both Russia and the West. This survey offers valuable insights into the challenges and progress faced by Ukraine during a critical period in its history.

The biography chronicles the life of Josef Kuzio, a Ukrainian who endured the hardships of Nazi occupation and forced labor in Germany during World War II. It details his experiences in Ukraine up to 1941, his struggle for survival, and his eventual resettlement in England, where he dedicated himself to rebuilding his homeland from afar. The narrative highlights themes of resilience and the impact of war on personal identity and community.