Postcolonial Perspectives on the War in Ukraine: A Cross-Referential Study of General and Literary Approaches

Abstract

This study critically examines both mainstream postcolonial scholarship – especially revised and reissued publications – and emerging Ukrainian-authored approaches to postcoloniality in the context of Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine. It argues, first, that Ukrainian postcoloniality has already crystallized into a distinct discourse, and second, that recent literary and theoretical works should be included in the development of a broader postcolonial paradigm. While its primary aim is to contest claims that Ukrainian postcoloniality remains underdeveloped, the essay also serves as a preliminary survey offering a referential base for scholars considering post-invasion Ukrainian literary and cultural works through postcolonial frameworks.