The Phenomenon of «Religion» in the Contemporary Ukrainian Historical Context: Conceptual Transformations of the 1990s–2020s

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to summarize and trace the evolution of conceptual shifts in the study of the phenomenon of «religion» within the Ukrainian historical tradition during the period from the 1990s to the 2020s. The research methodology comprises: special historical methods (historiographical analysis – for a critical examination of scholarly works from the 1990s to the 2020s; periodization – identifying three stages in the development of the understanding of the phenomenon of «religion»; historical-systemic – tracking the evolution of views on religion as a dynamic system); general scientific methods (analysis and synthesis – generalizing individual research approaches and paradigms regarding changes in the conception of «religion»; comparative analysis – comparing conceptual transformations of the phenomenon of «religion» at different stages); as well as a decolonial approach – for analyzing the process of purging Ukrainian historical memory of Soviet layers. Results – the evolution of the conceptual transformation of the phenomenon of «religion» in the Ukrainian historical context of the 1990s–2020s is traced. It is shown that the paradigm shift in the understanding of religion occurred in three stages: the 1990s, the early 2000s, and the 2010s–2020s. The conclusions note that the 1990s were characterized by attempts to move from a descriptive study of the phenomenon of «religion» to its portrayal as a complex system of symbols and practices. It has been established that in the 2000s, the distinctive features of scholarly understanding of the issue were its examination through the lens of anthropological and cultural approaches. It has been found that at the present stage, the phenomenon of «religion» is examined in historical discourse through the post-secular paradigm and methods of digital history.