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Book about Ukraine: Civil society between resistance and change
On September 18, 2025, the book “Freiheitsschauplatz”, which sheds light on Ukrainian society, will be presented in Frankfurt (Oder).
Book about Ukraine: Civil society between resistance and change
The book presentation of “Freiheitsschauplatz. A social portrait of Ukraine” will take place on September 18, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. in the Frankfurt (Oder) City and Regional Library. The event is an important cultural and intellectual contribution to German and Ukrainian understanding. Published by Dr. Susann Worschech, a Viadrina social scientist, explains the publication about the sociological facets of Ukraine and is the first German-language study in this area.
The book presents numerous contributions from German and Ukrainian experts who offer different perspectives on the political, economic and social situation in Ukraine. The thematic focus is on interaction and participation within Ukrainian society. During the presentation, Dr. Worschech and Garry Poluschkin, a co-author and economist, discuss the central themes of the book in a conversation. Dr. Vorshekh wrote the chapter on Ukrainian civil society, while Polushkin deals with the economic transformation since 1991. The event will be moderated by journalist Gesine Dornblüth and entry is free.
Insights into Ukrainian society
“Freedom Theater” is more than just a title; it serves as a counterpoint to the widely used term “theater of war”. The aim of the book is to paint a portrait of Ukraine that highlights its social complexity, current problems and various dynamics. It also covers the role of Europeanization and conflicts with Russia—topics that are central to understanding Ukraine in the 21st century.
The publication is part of the series “Interdisciplinary Ukrainian Studies”, which is funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). Thanks to this support, the book is also available in a free open access version. Its relevance is particularly reinforced by the portrayal of the diversity and resilience of Ukrainian society, which has been demonstrated in the challenges of the last decades.
Ukrainian civil society
Ukrainian civil society has mobilized strongly, especially since the Revolution of Dignity in 2014. Before this time, it was predominantly dominated by professional NGOs and think tanks, but volunteer initiatives were weak. After 2014, civil society experienced a revival, leading to widespread activity in pro-democracy protests and the emergence of a large volunteer movement. According to the World Giving Index, Ukraine rose in individual giving activity from 111th in 2011 to 10th in 2021.
Currently, around 37% of Ukrainians have been actively volunteering since the start of the current Russian invasion in 2022, a proportion comparable to that in Germany (around 39%). The creation of new nonprofit organizations increased dramatically, with a total of 6,367 new organizations launched in 2022. A remarkable fact is that 61% of newly active volunteers had no previous experience in civil society work. These people are involved in a variety of areas such as protests, fundraising, supporting the army and caring for internally displaced people.
Protests and partisan movements show resistance in the Russian-occupied territories. The best-known resistance movement, the “Yellow Ribbon,” promotes civil disobedience and offers pro-Ukrainian information. The partisan groups active in these regions have taken concrete actions against Russian military personnel and their infrastructure. Nevertheless, civil society has been heavily burdened by destruction and losses of infrastructure and personnel, and many activists have joined the armed forces.
In the context of reconstruction, the role of NGOs and activists is becoming increasingly important, as they dream of and actively shape renewal across society. Projects such as the NGO “Bo moschemo” and the Dnipro Center for Contemporary Culture are examples of the resilient and innovative power of civil society in Ukraine.
Overall, it is clear that Ukrainian civil society not only represents the backbone of society, but also plays a key role in the resistance to the Russian invasion and impressively demonstrates its resilience in times of crisis.