Civic Engagement and the Russo-Ukrainian War

Civil society, the traditionally termed third pillar of governance, plays a vital role in the every-day workings of states and communities. At no other time is this more true than in a time of war. Civic engagement and the expansion of civil society are phenomena that are particularly potent in crises and times of conflict, not least due to the extraordinarily demanding burden such states of affairs create for the societies, communities, and citizens afflicted by them. Nevertheless, how such engagement is created, maintained and fostered varies on a case-by-case basis - the political, social and conflict situations that countries find themselves in are each, without exception, quite unique. At the same time, patterns exist across cases of familiar methods of engagement and the roles of a host of factors on its scope and impact. The following report analyses the continuity and change in civic engagement in Ukrainian society since the start of the Russo-Ukrainian war just over a year ago. A few important points to note are as follows:

1. Increased civic engagement in Ukraine pre-dates the war and goes back at least to 2014 and the Euromaidan uprising

2. International engagement with the war is not the least aided by the rapid spread of information in what has become a mediatised conflict on an almost unprecedented scale

3. Domestic and international volunteerism has formed a fundamental building block of post-invasion civic engagement

4. The rallying of Ukrainian diaspora has contributed greatly to a positive loop of engagement at home and abroad

Besides charting out these developments, the report also seeks to analyse the continuity of civic engagement efforts in Ukrainian society, and the conditions that have led to civic engagement more broadly.

Civic, electoral, and political engagement

There are many forms that individual and community engagement with the state and wider society can take. The main distinguishing factors are the actors involved and the methods that these actors use. Accordingly, engagement in the civil sphere can be divided into civic (community problem solving, volunteering, active association membership, fundraising, local political campaigning, symbolic non-participation), electoral (voting, campaign contributions, voter registration), and political (officials and media outreach, protest action, petitions, boycotts). Of note is the fact that these are all actions short of direct political activity, namely running for and serving in office. There are benefits to each form of engagement, such as the ability to hold elected officials to account, however, challenges remain, and any form of civic engagement certainly achieves slower than direct government action.

Necla Acik-Toprak proposes an alternative classification of individuals themselves, namely those characterised as political versus civic participants, as well as those engaged in what she calls “political consumerism” - connecting spending and consumption patterns on the market to political values. Crucially, however, civic engagement also allows the community to tell its own story and take part in deliberative and collective decision-making. In such efforts, local actors are crucial for continuous dialogue, confidence, and trust.

Factors impacting civic engagement

1. The role of technology

The war in Ukraine is in many respects the first European war to be fully accessible to the entire population of not only the belligerent countries, but the whole world. Technological advancement and innovation of use have played a significant role on the battlefield itself, but also crucially in the work of civil society, spreading its reach and boosting its overall engagement. Besides the extensive use of social media, emerging technologies, such as cryptocurrencies, are also finding new applications and have become a vital source of income for the Ukrainian economy. Major cryptocurrency projects such as Solana and PolkaDot have been launched to enable donations made in Sol and Dot cryptocurrencies, besides the extensive use of the more commonly known ones, such as bitcoin.

Ukrainian NGOs actively involved in human rights causes, such as Truth Hounds, have also been using social media to expose human rights violations, and rally people’s support behind the country. Investigations using open-source intelligence are increasingly more common, and ordinary Ukrainian citizens are also actively engaged in documenting the events of the conflict in the vicinity of their homes. Such activities are also encouraged by the Ukrainian government, who sees it as a way of boosting the morale of the nation - a way for citizens of any age to get involved in the war effort. While Facebook remains the number one source of discussion among Ukrainian citizens (56% of engagement), messaging apps such as Telegram are also gaining in popularity. Videos and moments of Ukrainian life since the war are now available instantly to millions, which has been used as an effective information weapon in itself. Engagement through social media also has the added benefit of fostering cooperation among the traditional news media, investigative journalists, and human rights organisations, bringing more visibility and engagement around the world.

1. The role of education

Even after the 2014 Euromaidan uprising, assessments of Ukrainian civic education had remained cautiously pessimistic at best, despite some progress on the issue. With the start of the war however, individuals came to take matters into their own hands. Since democratic countries around the world have rallied behind Ukraine, activists and their fellow citizens have started to recognize the importance that their civic action can play in strengthening democracy, human rights and community at home. Instrumental in this have been the millions of Ukrainians displaced from their homes into neighbouring countries. In Romania, for example, the partnership of CIVICA, a Ukrainian civil society organisation, and the SNSPA university has provided shelter and basic necessities to many fleeing the conflict. The spaces have also been vital for children of the fleeing families, who are able to continue their education with the support of students and staff.

1. Individual volunteerism

The importance of social media combines with another key aspect of civic engagement, individual volunteerism. According to research done by sociologist Dr. Olga Boichak, Ukrainian volunteers have not only helped those in immediate need, but systematically worked to “transform the meaning of citizenship” every day. In short, the conflict has ushered in an increase in democratic activism at home, with promising results for Ukraine’s post-war future of democracy and modernisation. Besides domestic volunteers, the Ukrainian war has also seen an influx of foreign volunteers, soon after an appeal made by President Zelenskyy. Among these were a number of volunteers from the UK (numbers estimated between 200 and 3000 to date), such as James Cartner and James Chadwick, whose stories not only bring those outside of Ukraine closer to the reality of the conflict, but also help encourage further engagement. Despite not carrying much promise at the beginning, these personal and collective initiatives stem from a hope to make a positive difference. Those who do not fight directly support Ukrainian refugees fleeing abroad in Poland, and other neighbouring countries. Volunteers are often motivated by democratic and altruistic values, but emotion also plays a crucial role.

1. Youth participation

Finally, there has been increasing engagement from youth groups and activists around the country and abroad as well. Among these can be counted those of domestic origins, such as Ukraine National Identity Through Youth (UNITY), but also those based abroad, such as the Young European Movement. The latters work has included the promotion of democratic values for Ukraine, opportunities to meet and discuss the country’s future with its leaders, as well as collaboration with various foreign-based activist and humanitarian groups to help refugees settling into their new life outside of their home country.

Conclusion

Overall, civic engagement after the start of the war in Ukraine has seen a marked and hopeful rise, and one that clearly makes a difference. A survey of its development yields promising results for the future of Ukrainian democracy, civil society, and citizen involvement. First, it shows that despite an uptick after the Euromaidan uprising, civic engagement really starts to see a much larger increase with the onset of the nation-wide conflict. Second, the rapid spread of information, despite its shortcomings in the form of dis- and misinformation, and the greater use of technology and social media by civil society and human rights groups has had a positive impact on civic engagement not only domestically, but also abroad. Third, Ukrainian and foreign volunteers form the backbone of every-day civic engagement activities. And finally, a major part is played by Ukrainian NGOs, civil society actors and activists, and the diaspora communities abroad. With the conflict persisting, their support is sure to continue to prove crucial for its future resolution.