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Speaking, Being and Resisting: Linguistic Decolonization and Identity Negotiation among Ukrainians with Russian as Their First Language

Svenborn Johansson, Eva LU (2026) ÖCKR07 20261
Joint Faculties of Humanities and Theology
Central and Eastern European Studies
Abstract
This thesis examines how Ukrainians with Russian as their first language negotiate linguistic identity in relation to national and ethnic identity during Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine. Drawing on postcolonial approaches to language, linguistic imperialism, standard language ideology and hybridity, it asks how participants relate to Russian and Ukrainian, how they reflect on linguistic norms, and to what extent linguistic subversion is a useful lens for understanding decolonial language practices. The study is based on semi-structured qualitative interviews with seven Ukrainians currently living in Sweden. The findings show that participants consistently separate Russian language use from Russian national belonging, while... (More)
This thesis examines how Ukrainians with Russian as their first language negotiate linguistic identity in relation to national and ethnic identity during Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine. Drawing on postcolonial approaches to language, linguistic imperialism, standard language ideology and hybridity, it asks how participants relate to Russian and Ukrainian, how they reflect on linguistic norms, and to what extent linguistic subversion is a useful lens for understanding decolonial language practices. The study is based on semi-structured qualitative interviews with seven Ukrainians currently living in Sweden. The findings show that participants consistently separate Russian language use from Russian national belonging, while reallocating Russian and Ukrainian to different social domains. Russian is primarily associated with intimacy, family, memory and embodied selfhood, whereas Ukrainian is linked to public legitimacy, collective identity and national belonging. Participants generally reproduce elements of standard language ideology, although attitudes towards surzhyk have become more accepting. Linguistic subversion offers only limited explanatory value: decolonization appears more clearly through language shift, changing linguistic functions and the weakening of Russian metropolitan authority than through deliberate transformation of Russian from within. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Svenborn Johansson, Eva LU
supervisor
organization
course
ÖCKR07 20261
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
linguistic decolonization, Ukraine, Russian language, postcolonialism, standard language ideology
language
English
id
9250382
date added to LUP
2026-09-25 09:53:10
date last changed
2026-09-25 09:53:10
@misc{9250382,
  abstract     = {{This thesis examines how Ukrainians with Russian as their first language negotiate linguistic identity in relation to national and ethnic identity during Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine. Drawing on postcolonial approaches to language, linguistic imperialism, standard language ideology and hybridity, it asks how participants relate to Russian and Ukrainian, how they reflect on linguistic norms, and to what extent linguistic subversion is a useful lens for understanding decolonial language practices. The study is based on semi-structured qualitative interviews with seven Ukrainians currently living in Sweden. The findings show that participants consistently separate Russian language use from Russian national belonging, while reallocating Russian and Ukrainian to different social domains. Russian is primarily associated with intimacy, family, memory and embodied selfhood, whereas Ukrainian is linked to public legitimacy, collective identity and national belonging. Participants generally reproduce elements of standard language ideology, although attitudes towards surzhyk have become more accepting. Linguistic subversion offers only limited explanatory value: decolonization appears more clearly through language shift, changing linguistic functions and the weakening of Russian metropolitan authority than through deliberate transformation of Russian from within.}},
  author       = {{Svenborn Johansson, Eva}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Speaking, Being and Resisting: Linguistic Decolonization and Identity Negotiation among Ukrainians with Russian as Their First Language}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}