Rusyns; Identity; Transcarpathia

This chapter examines how Rusyn identity is narrated and perceived in Transcarpathia, Ukraine. It is based on qualitative field research conducted in 2023, comprising expert interviews with informants from Transcarpathia and Eastern Slovakia, including both Rusyn and non-Rusyn perspectives. It focuses on key themes such as language, religion, homeland, and the distinction between cultural and political Rusynism. The research suggests the following key patterns in identity narratives. While the Ukrainian state defines Rusyns as an ethnographic subgroup of the Ukrainian nation, local perceptions vary. Some informants regard Rusyns as a distinct nation, while others view them as integral to a broader Ukrainian identity. Cultural Rusynism, centered on the preservation of language and traditions, remains active. In contrast, political Rusynism, associated with autonomy claims and links to Russia, has largely faded since 2014. The war has strengthened civic loyalty to Ukraine among most Rusyns. At the same time, however, many informants voiced disappointment at being viewed with suspicion and labeled as politically disloyal. Although minority issues have been pushed out of public debate by the war, several informants expressed hope that these questions will be revisited in the context of Ukraine's path toward EU accession.

This chapter examines how Rusyn identity is narrated and perceived in Transcarpathia, Ukraine. It is based on qualitative field research conducted in 2023, comprising expert interviews with informants from Transcarpathia and Eastern Slovakia, including both Rusyn and non-Rusyn perspectives. It focuses on key themes such as language, religion, homeland, and the distinction between cultural and political Rusynism. The research suggests the following key patterns in identity narratives. While the Ukrainian state defines Rusyns as an ethnographic subgroup of the Ukrainian nation, local perceptions vary. Some informants regard Rusyns as a distinct nation, while others view them as integral to a broader Ukrainian identity. Cultural Rusynism, centered on the preservation of language and traditions, remains active. In contrast, political Rusynism, associated with autonomy claims and links to Russia, has largely faded since 2014. The war has strengthened civic loyalty to Ukraine among most Rusyns. At the same time, however, many informants voiced disappointment at being viewed with suspicion and labeled as politically disloyal. Although minority issues have been pushed out of public debate by the war, several informants expressed hope that these questions will be revisited in the context of Ukraine's path toward EU accession.