“Misto” on academic sociologists and their leader

On the occasion of the 75th birthday of the Director of the Institute of Sociology of the NAS of Ukraine, Doctor of Philosophical Sciences, Corresponding Member of the NAS of Ukraine, Professor Yevhen Golovakha, the Misto portal congratulated him, calling him the sociologist “who taught Ukraine to look into the mirror of truth”.

The man himself modestly notes on this score that he does so together with all the sociologists of Ukraine, and especially the academic ones he heads.

Stressing that the subject of the piece is able to record dynamic changes in Ukrainian society and turn them into intelligible analysis faster than some politicians manage to grasp them, Misto briefly describes the scholar's academic path and his first studies, with which, in the portal's words, he “proved that without an understanding of public moods it is impossible to build either policy or reforms”.

As the publication emphasises, on taking charge of the Institute of Sociology of the NAS of Ukraine, Yevhen Golovakha turned it into the principal centre of independent research: “It is here that the surveys reflecting the real moods of Ukrainians are prepared every year — from attitudes towards politics to the level of trust in the army, the church and the media.”

Fundamentally important is the publication's conclusion that the Institute's research always remains as objective as possible — this has made it a reference point for journalists, analysts and international organisations, and much of the credit belongs to the man of the hour, whom Misto called a diagnostician of public moods, a person who explains Ukrainian society to the world, a mentor and teacher of a new generation of sociologists.

Stressing his scholarly and civic integrity, Misto observes that over his career Golovakha has earned a reputation as a person who makes no compromises with his conscience: “His conclusions were often inconvenient for those in power, but that is precisely why they had value. For society needs not sweet words but honest diagnosis.”

Summing up its tribute, the publication states with conviction: “It is thanks to people like this that Ukraine has a chance to develop not blindly but with an understanding of its own strengths and weaknesses.”

In conveying to the public the importance of the highly professional and fruitful work of Ukraine's academic sociologists and their leader, Misto makes an important contribution to informing society about the successful work of the country's indomitable scholars in the difficult conditions of Russia's war against Ukraine.

The full material is here