Historical memory and politics of memory as sociocultural and moral-ethical factors in the formation of national identity in contemporary society

Abstract

Purpose. The article is aimed at providing a comprehensive theoretical substantiation and analysis of the mechanisms through which national identity is formed by means of the instruments of state memory policy in contemporary Ukraine. It examines the role of historical memory as a strategic resource for national security and the consolidation of society in the context of Russia’s full-scale against Ukraine.

Methods. The methodological basis is a systemic approach, which made it possible to consider memory policy as an integrated instrument of public administration. The study employs discourse analysis to examine the transformation of commemorative practices, an instrumental approach to analyse the role of the state in the construction of identity, as well as an axiological method to investigate linguistic and symbolic markers of national belonging.

Results. It has been established that, in the conditions of a full-scale war, memory policy in Ukraine has been transformed into one of the fundamental factors of state and national stability. The adoption of the Law of Ukraine ‘On the Principles of the State Policy of the National Memory of the Ukrainian People’ (2025) is identified as a significant stage in the institutionalisation of this process. The article identifies and elaborates upon four interrelated mechanisms of identity formation: 1) institutional and legal (legislative framework and decolonisation of toponymy); 2) commemorative (formation of a national memorial narrative and memorial landscape); 3) educational and awareness-raising (overcoming regional differences through common narratives and digital media and historical education); 4) symbolic and axiological (language as a marker of identity and heroisation of modern defenders through parallels with the Cossacks and the Ukrainian Insurgent Army). It is demonstrated that the synergy of these mechanisms ensures the transition from a defensive model of identity to an agentic model integrated into the European civilisational context.

Conclusions. It has been established that an effective state memory policy is a prerequisite for overcoming the Soviet and imperial colonial legacy. The article demonstrates that the legislative consolidation of nation-building narratives, combined with active educational work and the affirmation of the Ukrainian language, creates a resilient matrix of national self-consciousness. Prospects for further research lie in studying the long-term dynamics of linguistic transformation and the integration of the modern heroic epic into the wider European cultural space.