Social Cohesion and Demand for Justice in the Wartime Ukraine: Implications for Resilience and Post-War Restoration and Reintegration Policies

The ongoing wartime resilience and social cohesion of Ukrainian society as well as the future post-war reconstruction and potential reintegration of the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine is impossible without satisfaction of citizens’ demand for justice. Drawing upon the qualitative and quantitative data (several waves of nationwide representative surveys and focus group discussions), the paper aims to analyse the level of social cohesion and current and potential points of tension in Ukrainian society based on the perceptions and attitudes, and opinions of residents of the government-controlled territory of Ukraine, as well as their positions towards restoration of rights, justice, and determination of liability in the context of war, occupation, and de-occupation and to the reintegration policies. In particular, using different methods of analysis we to look deeper into connections between positions and opinions towards social, interpersonal, and institutional trust towards and within different groups, determination of liability for different activities that could be defined as collaborationism or working for the aggressor, attitudes towards residents of the temporarily occupied territories and the occupation regime, and existing social relations and connections of respondents. Based on the results we argue that neutral rather than positive attitudes towards different groups are indicative of (potential) lines of social tension. We also demonstrate that the demand for justice is the prevalent request and expectation of Ukrainians and that while people tend to rather broadly understand such unlawful activities as collaborationism or corruption, they still expect individual and nuanced approach in the process of determination of liability and are against mob justice. Finally, the paper emphasized the immediate need and criteria for an articulated and clear (post-)war restoration and reintegration policy on strengthening social cohesion and restoration of justice and rights.