The Russia-Ukraine civilizational divide has been treated in CCR through the East Slavic civilizational question (v73, v78), the Spenglerian concept of soul (v88), and contemporary sociology (v93).

In v78, “Does Belarusian-Ukrainian Civilization Belong to the Western or the Latin Civilization?” by Piotr Murzionak argues that Eastern Slavs form two distinct civilizations — Western-Ruthenian (with Belarus as part of Western civilization and culture) and Eurasian — and provides evidence of Belarusians’ belonging to Western civilization. In v73 (Fall 2015), Bertil Haggman’s “Svealand, Götaland and the Rise of the East-Slavic Kingdom” is the response to Murzionak that opens the East-Slavic question.

In v88, “The Soul of Russia and the Soul of Ukraine” uses Spengler’s concept of soul and Toynbee’s “schism in the soul” to read the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The article engages Mazepa, Makhno, Shevchenko, and Gogol to argue that the Ukrainian and Russian souls are distinct, and that the 2022 Russian invasion is a civilizational event. The piece is part of v88’s “Featured Articles” section that emerged in response to the war.

In v93, “Sociological Dichotomies of Mława, Poland, Over Time: Misplaced Concreteness, Individual Triumph, Social Tragedy” provides a parallel case study of a Polish town whose citizens experienced Nazi and Soviet terror, the Holocaust, and post-1989 European integration. The article, by Carolyn Grace Carpentieri Potter, draws on Joseph Drew’s and Andrew Targowski’s notes on “Forgetting European Ghosts in the 21st Century?” to argue for civilizational memory.

Source summaries:

  • v73 (Fall 2015) — Bertil Haggman, “Svealand, Götaland and the Rise of the East-Slavic Kingdom — Response to Piotr Murzionak.” (v73)
  • v78 (Spring 2018) — Piotr Murzionak, “Does Belarusian-Ukrainian Civilization Belong to the Western or the Latin Civilization?” (v78)
  • v85 (Fall 2021) — Letter to the Editor, Ardavan Khoshnood, “The Pahlavis and the Other Side of the Coins.” (v85)
  • v88 (Spring 2023) — “The Soul of Russia and the Soul of Ukraine” uses Spengler and Toynbee to read the war. (v88)
  • v93 (Fall 2025) — “Sociological Dichotomies of Mława, Poland, Over Time” by Carolyn Grace Carpentieri Potter. (v93)