Popular science material by S. Yu. Solodko, Candidate of Sociological Sciences: “Decolonisation in Odesa: political narratives and strategies of argument”

The website of the Institute of Sociology of the NAS of Ukraine has published a popular science material by S. Yu. Solodko, Candidate of Sociological Sciences, "Decolonisation in Odesa: political narratives and strategies of argument"

Since the beginning of the full-scale war in Ukraine, processes of rethinking historical memory have intensified alongside the military confrontation. Decolonisation — the dismantling of imperial symbols and the revision of the Soviet legacy — has emerged not only as a symbolic gesture but as an instrument for shaping new conceptions of national identity and of the country's future.

This theme has shown itself with particular sharpness in Odesa, with its many-layered history and complex cultural identity. The local authorities' decision in the summer of 2024 to remove 19 monuments and rename 119 streets provoked a polarised reaction: from resolute support to categorical resistance. The discussion culminated in an open letter to UNESCO signed by opponents of radical decolonisation.

What showed itself in this dispute was not simply opposing opinions but fundamentally different ways of interpreting history, culture and urban space, and of weighing the importance of such basic values as national security, democracy, local identity and cultural heritage.

The aim of this essay is to analyse how both camps see the problem, formulate political conceptions and define their opponent. A nuanced understanding of the parties' arguments and positions helps to avoid oversimplification, to remain sensitive to opponents' arguments and to look for ways towards a more productive public dialogue.

The full material is here