A study of politico-ideological divisions among Ukrainian-Canadians

Abstract

This is an exploratory sociological study of the ukrainian-Canadian group as a politico-ideologically divided entity influenced by historical and societal factors. Non-Communist and pro-communist divisive differences in terms of orientations, affiliations and activities are described. The frame of reference is socio-historical and structuralist. Ethnic community is interpreted as an interactive part of, and a product of, the larger socio-historical processes and socio-political conditions indigenous to Canada and from abroad. The aim is to avoid the limitations of an asocial, apolitical, ahistorical approach towards the study of ethnic phenomena, such as the predominant primordialist perspective in ethnic studies. According to a review of the literature, there is a need for greater objectivity and further investigation in regard to the study of ethnic phenomena in order not to underrate or overlook the internal divisive differences characterizing an ethnic group, nor to isolate the ethnic microcosm from the dynamic structural and historical macrocosm. This is one study which has attempted to abate the gap in information about internally divided and externally influenced ethnic groups, such as the Ukrainian-Canadian case. Most of the data for this exploratory study has been collected from secondary sources essentially Ukrainian historical literature. Research was supplemented by information gathered from relevant literature in the specific field of ethnic relations, the general discipline of sociology, as well as related disciplines in the social sciences. My personal experience with the Ukrainian group, aS a member of Winnipeg's Ukrainian community since childhood, has contributed helpful insights to this study. Findings have clearly indicated that the Ukrainian-Canadian group has been internally divided into the non-communist and pro-communist subgroups through time. This research has shown that the Ukrainian-Canadian politico-ideologically divided community has been an interactive, responsive part of society in the Canadian and international political arenas. The internally-divided ukrainian-canadian community can be studied as a potitical product of its socio-historical experience, both as a minority group within Canada's political economy, and as an originally emigrant population from a colonial country, namely Ukraine.