Identities with Historical Regions – are they Adapting to Modern Administrative Division? The Case of Ukraine

Oleksiy Gnatiuk; Anatoliy Melnychuk

doi:10.18778/1231-1952.26.1.09

Authors

Oleksiy Gnatiuk Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Faculty of Geography, Department of Economic and Social Geography, Volodymyrska Street 64/13, Kyiv, Ukraine, 01601
Anatoliy Melnychuk Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Faculty of Geography, Department of Economic and Social Geography, Volodymyrska Street 64/13, Kyiv, Ukraine, 01601

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/1231-1952.26.1.09

Keywords:

regional identity, historical regions, administrative regions, ergonyms, identity transformation

Abstract

Historical regions remain the most common basis for the formation or promotion of regional identities in Europe. However, regions and regional identities are in the process of constant formation and can change significantly in line with new conditions. In this paper we focused on the changes of the spatial spread of identities with historical regions in Ukraine in comparison to the initial boundaries of those. The results show that identities with historical regions are markedly adapting to modern administrative boundaries. At the same time, the symbolic value of historical regions constitutes an essential element of identity building in contemporary administrative regions.

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