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Societal Security Dilemma and Social Identity Theory: Why structure matters in understanding Ukrainian identity discourses, 1991-2014.

Alan Collins Orcid Logo

Central European Journal of International and Security Studies (CEJISS)

Swansea University Author: Alan Collins Orcid Logo

Abstract

This article reinvigorates the societal security dilemma by utilising the insights from Social Identity Theory (SIT), and it applies this to Ukraine’s contested search for a national identity (Ukrainization) between 1991 and 2014 to reveal the interplay between actor and structural agency. Applying...

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Published in: Central European Journal of International and Security Studies (CEJISS)
Published: Prague Metropolitan University Prague
URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa72157
first_indexed 2026-06-24T13:24:43Z
last_indexed 2026-06-25T06:26:48Z
id cronfa72157
recordtype SURis
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spelling 2026-06-24T14:24:41.6696353 v2 72157 2026-06-24 Societal Security Dilemma and Social Identity Theory: Why structure matters in understanding Ukrainian identity discourses, 1991-2014. 907d9f05b3b098040cce16dd9f9cad6d 0000-0003-3009-344X Alan Collins Alan Collins true false 2026-06-24 SOSS This article reinvigorates the societal security dilemma by utilising the insights from Social Identity Theory (SIT), and it applies this to Ukraine’s contested search for a national identity (Ukrainization) between 1991 and 2014 to reveal the interplay between actor and structural agency. Applying SIT to the societal security dilemma reveals that in understanding how competing interpretations of identity can assume a tit-for-tat dynamic of their own, we need to be not only conscious of political actors’ discourse, but also our human disposition to compare our status to others. SIT reveals we do this when in groups and our in-group favouritism can, much like a security dilemma, initiate and sustain a tit-for-tat dynamic that leads to discord. While the focus in the case study is on Ukrainian contestation, this does not exonerate Russia for starting the war, which begins in 2014 with the annexation of Crimea. Nations contest their identity; it is a natural part of how identity is understood by the populace and how it evolves. Tragically for Ukraine, Russia aggravates this contestation for its own imperial ambitions placing the culpability for the war at Moscow’s door. Journal Article Central European Journal of International and Security Studies (CEJISS) Metropolitan University Prague Prague Societal Security Dilemma, Social Identity Theory, Ukraine 0 0 0 0001-01-01 COLLEGE NANME Social Sciences School COLLEGE CODE SOSS Swansea University British Academy Small Research Grant SRG2324\240195 2026-06-24T14:24:41.6696353 2026-06-24T14:15:08.3879039 Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences School of Social Sciences - Politics, Philosophy and International Relations Alan Collins 0000-0003-3009-344X 1
title Societal Security Dilemma and Social Identity Theory: Why structure matters in understanding Ukrainian identity discourses, 1991-2014.
spellingShingle Societal Security Dilemma and Social Identity Theory: Why structure matters in understanding Ukrainian identity discourses, 1991-2014.
Alan Collins
title_short Societal Security Dilemma and Social Identity Theory: Why structure matters in understanding Ukrainian identity discourses, 1991-2014.
title_full Societal Security Dilemma and Social Identity Theory: Why structure matters in understanding Ukrainian identity discourses, 1991-2014.
title_fullStr Societal Security Dilemma and Social Identity Theory: Why structure matters in understanding Ukrainian identity discourses, 1991-2014.
title_full_unstemmed Societal Security Dilemma and Social Identity Theory: Why structure matters in understanding Ukrainian identity discourses, 1991-2014.
title_sort Societal Security Dilemma and Social Identity Theory: Why structure matters in understanding Ukrainian identity discourses, 1991-2014.
author_id_str_mv 907d9f05b3b098040cce16dd9f9cad6d
author_id_fullname_str_mv 907d9f05b3b098040cce16dd9f9cad6d_***_Alan Collins
author Alan Collins
author2 Alan Collins
format Journal article
container_title Central European Journal of International and Security Studies (CEJISS)
institution Swansea University
publisher Metropolitan University Prague
college_str Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
hierarchytype
hierarchy_top_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
department_str School of Social Sciences - Politics, Philosophy and International Relations{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Social Sciences - Politics, Philosophy and International Relations
document_store_str 0
active_str 0
description This article reinvigorates the societal security dilemma by utilising the insights from Social Identity Theory (SIT), and it applies this to Ukraine’s contested search for a national identity (Ukrainization) between 1991 and 2014 to reveal the interplay between actor and structural agency. Applying SIT to the societal security dilemma reveals that in understanding how competing interpretations of identity can assume a tit-for-tat dynamic of their own, we need to be not only conscious of political actors’ discourse, but also our human disposition to compare our status to others. SIT reveals we do this when in groups and our in-group favouritism can, much like a security dilemma, initiate and sustain a tit-for-tat dynamic that leads to discord. While the focus in the case study is on Ukrainian contestation, this does not exonerate Russia for starting the war, which begins in 2014 with the annexation of Crimea. Nations contest their identity; it is a natural part of how identity is understood by the populace and how it evolves. Tragically for Ukraine, Russia aggravates this contestation for its own imperial ambitions placing the culpability for the war at Moscow’s door.
published_date 0001-01-01T06:14:05Z
_version_ 1869035177781493760
score 11.109911

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