What values define Ukrainian society? How accurate is it to say that Ukrainians have high levels of horizontal trust—trust in one another—but low trust in public institutions? How should we understand power distance in Ukraine? Is corruption really as great a threat as it is often portrayed, or is its impact sometimes overstated? And how have these dynamics changed during the war?
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Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet about Ukraine.
Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, chief editor of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine.
Guest: Maryna Starodubska, Kyiv-Mohyla Business School Adjunct Professor, cross-cultural interaction consultant, and author of the book "Understanding Ukrainians: Cross-Cultural Perspective" published in Ukrainian.
Link: https://vivat.com.ua/product/yak-zrozumity-ukraintsiv-kroskulturnyi-pohliad/
Maryna is now preparing her new book, in English, called Ukraine Layer by Layer: Freedom and Friction in a Frontier Society. The book will be published by Ibidem Verlag in the series Ukrainian Voices in October 2026.
Link: https://cup.columbia.edu/book/ukraine-layer-by-layer/9783838221175/
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Listen on various platforms: https://li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine
UkraineWorld: https://ukraineworld.org/en
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SUPPORT:
You can support our work on https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld
Your help is crucial, as we rely heavily on crowdfunding.
You can also contribute to our volunteer missions to frontline areas in Ukraine, where we deliver aid to both soldiers and civilians.
Donations are welcome via PayPal at: ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.
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Contents:
00:03 What fundamental questions about Ukrainian society will this episode explore?
02:33 How can we describe Ukrainian society's values, particularly regarding horizontal trust versus institutional mistrust?
03:02 How has "double institutionalization" shaped Ukrainians' values and their approach to formal requirements versus "warm connections"?
04:19 In what ways has Ukraine's history as a "highly threatened culture" led to survival through close-knit communities and interpersonal trust?
04:58 How does "institutional dysfunction" explain the horizontal orientation of Ukrainians?
06:20 What are the three most pronounced values in Ukrainian national culture?
08:59 Has the war led to an explosion of "generalized trust" in Ukraine, moving beyond the traditional limited circles of trust?
11:59 How do Ukrainians differentiate their trust levels across protective, infrastructural, and local institutions?
15:29 Is Ukraine moving in the right direction to reduce its "power distance" by bringing leaders closer to citizens, as seen with figures like President Zelensky?
16:59 How does Ukraine's high power distance manifest through the importance of status and the desire for strong leaders who deliver justice?
21:21 Do external metrics and surveys, often influenced by Western "premonitions," accurately capture the complexities of Ukrainian society and its institutions?
25:16 How do collectivism and situational individualism coexist in Ukrainian society, affecting interactions with in-group versus out-group members?
28:12 How do effective institutions in Ukraine, such as administrative service centers, gain trust by focusing on fairness, justice, and tangible outcomes?
31:27 Is the perception of corruption in Ukraine often overestimated, and how might it be influenced by inherited mistrust rather than actual encounters?
39:01 What key insights and framework does Marina Starodubska's new book, "Ukraine Layer by Layer," offer to help professional readers understand the country better?
