Holiday Practices as an Indicator of Social Changes in the Southern Region of Ukraine
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19490352 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Olexander Zubchenko, Oleksandr Zubchenko (0000-0001-6748-3981, Mariupol State University), Yana Zoska (0000-0003-0407-1407, Mariupol State University), Vita Shcherbyna (Classic Private University), Oksana Stadnik (National Academy of Management), Oksana Osetrova (Dnipro University of Technology), Dmytro Mozulenko (National University Zaporizhzhia Polytechnic) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 7 |
| Issue | 6s |
| Pages | 1-10 |
| Publication date | 2026-04-24 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | ShodhKosh: Journal of Visual and Performing Arts (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2582-7472 • E-ISSN: 2582-7472 |
| Publisher | Granthaalayah Publications and Printers (PUBLISHER • IN) |
| DOI | 10.29121/shodhkosh.v7.i6s.2026.7448 |
| OpenAlex | W7155613932 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 22 |
The article presents the results of an analysis of New Year’s holiday celebrations in the temporarily occupied territories of southern Ukraine amid the violent transformation of social, cultural, and symbolic relations. The study aims to identify the methods by which the occupying authorities sought to exploit festive rituals as tools for ideological manipulation, social control, and the cultivation of loyalty among residents, particularly children and youth. The empirical basis consists of visual materials, including photos and videos, published on publicly accessible Telegram channels controlled by Russian occupation administrations. The analysis demonstrates that New Year celebrations in these territories have acquired a politicized and militarized character, serving as markers that differentiate Ukrainian cultural identity from the occupation authorities. It illustrates how festive events are employed to project an image of social stability and “normal life,” while simultaneously socializing young people within a statist-paternalist framework. The involvement of children, especially school-aged youth, in paramilitary “children’s” and “youth” organizations reinforces manipulative influence and embeds a patron-client perspective on social reality. Alongside the officially imposed occupation festive space, Ukrainian New Year traditions are adapted and preserved, becoming acts of cultural and national resistance that maintain a sense of ordinary life and joy. The study concludes that the instrumentalization of holidays for ideological purposes seeks to undermine Ukrainian social and cultural identity, transforming celebrations from spaces of emotional renewal into mechanisms of state control and assimilation. The findings provide valuable material for further research on occupation practices, cultural resistance, and the development of policies for the reintegration of temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine
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| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |