Author(s) / Editor(s):

 Chepurko Gulbarshyn Iskakivna, Doctor of Sciences in Sociology, Senior Research Fellow, Head of the Department of Social Expertise, Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine

 email: gichepurko@ukr.net

 ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7540-5174

Year: 2025

Pages: 55–81

Publication language: Ukrainian

Publisher: Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine

Type of Publication: chapter in edited volume

Publication Place: Kyiv

DOI: TBD

The chapter examines the phenomenon of social trust in the context of war and its impact on the emergence and dynamics of social conflicts in Ukrainian society. The author analyzes horizontal and vertical levels of trust, their role in strengthening social cohesion, mobilizing resources, and fostering solidarity. Based on monitoring data from the Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, the study highlights the growth of interpersonal trust during the first years of the full-scale invasion, as well as its subsequent stabilization at a level higher than before the war. It is determined that confidence in Ukraine’s victory serves as a factor in strengthening trust in people and social institutions. The chapter also addresses vertical trust in state authorities and security forces, which has shown significant fluctuations: from a sharp increase in trust in the President and the Armed Forces at the beginning of the war to a gradual decline in support due to political scandals and governance crises. Trust in volunteers, volunteer battalions, the State Emergency Service, the National Guard, and the police remains high, reflecting the resilience of civil society. Special attention is given to the prerequisites of social conflicts during wartime. The author concludes that mobilization remains the key conflict-generating factor, combining political, economic, and social dimensions. To reduce the risk of escalating social contradictions, comprehensive strategies are needed to maintain social unity, economic stability, and political legitimacy.

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