Russian and Ukrainian Nationalism - Fabian Baumann | 2024 Episode 32

In this interview, Dr. Fabian Baumann discusses his book Dynasty Divided: A Family History of Russian and Ukrainian Nationalism, exploring the Shul’gin/Shul’hyn family’s divergent national identities and their implications for understanding nationalism in Ukraine and Russia. He examines the historical evolution of nationalism, the role of family dynamics, generational divides, and the contributions of women within nationalist movements, offering insights into contemporary contexts.

Dr. Baumann is a historian specialising in Eastern Europe, with a particular focus on the history of nationalism and empire in Russia, Ukraine, and East Central Europe. His acclaimed book, Dynasty Divided: A Family History of Russian and Ukrainian Nationalism (NIU Press/Cornell University Press), received the 2024 W. Bruce Lincoln Book Prize, recognising its exceptional merit and enduring significance in advancing the understanding of Russia’s history. The work traces the story of a family divided between Russian and Ukrainian nationalist identities, arguing that 19th-century intellectuals consciously chose their political positions before adopting a sense of national belonging, challenging conventional views of nationalism as rooted in pre-existing ethnicity.

In addition to his exploration of nationalism, Dr. Baumann has conducted postdoctoral research on “banal” nationalism and the promotion of republican statehood in late Soviet Ukraine. His current project examines the prosecution of alleged traitors and enemies of the state in the First Czechoslovak Republic, shedding light on how trials against groups such as Sudeten German nationalists, Hungarian irredentists, and Czech fascists reflected the tensions between state-building, loyalty, and authoritarian trends in interwar Europe’s only stable democracy.

Content: (1) Motivation for Researching Nationalism in Ukraine and Russia; (2) Distinguishing Personal Convictions from Ideological Shifts under State Pressure or Exile; (3) Historical Perspectives on Nationalism: Did People Understand it as We Do Today?; (4) Sensitivity in Analysing Family Identities within Specific Geopolitical Contexts; (5) A Family Perspective on Nationalism: A Unique Lens on Ukraine and Russia; (6) Generational Divides in Nationalism within the Shul’gin/Shul’hyn Family; (7) Family-Driven versus State-Driven Nationalism; (8) Private Organisations and Societies of Ukrainian Nationalists; (9) Intellectual Sources of Nationalist Thought; (10) Role and Contribution of Women in the Nationalist Movement; (11) Regional Identity vs. Imperial Loyalty: Lessons from the Shul’gin/Shul’hyn Family for Contemporary Ukraine; (12) The Concept of “Nation as a Category of Practice”; (13) Understanding “National Indifference”; (14) Shifts in Personal Assumptions About Nationalism During Research; (15) Reception of the Book in Ukraine and Russia Amidst the Ongoing Conflict; and (16) Key Challenges in Researching Nationalism

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