Three Revolutions: Mobilization and Change in Contemporary Ukraine I

Reviews / Votes

"This extraordinary project provides a comprehensive picture of the Granite, Orange, and Euromaidan Revolutions of Dignity in Ukraine, a series of fearless and sometimes tragic upheavals by a society striving for democratically guaranteed existence unimpeded by oligarchic corruption, economic well-being, and freedom from a threat of reconquest by an unforgiving former imperial overlord. Former participants and eyewitnesses, the world's most renowned experts, and a host of talented younger scholars offer a treasure trove of original, gripping first-hand accounts; detailed historical reconstructions; empirically rich and illuminating interpretations; and theoretically savvy analyses. No dimension of these history-defining events remains unexamined. It is indispensable reading for everybody interested in revolutions and what has come to be known as the fourth wave of democratization in the post-communist world and beyond."-Jan Kubik, Professor at Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA "In the last few decades, as the world marked the bicentenary of the French Revolution of 1789 and the centenary of the Russian Revolution of 1917, it also went through at least three waves of modern revolutions: the 'velvet' revolutions of 1989 in Eastern Europe, the 'colour' revolutions of the early 2000s in the former Soviet bloc countries, and the 'Arab Spring' revolutions of the early 2010s. What makes contemporary revolution a revolution and what impact does it have on the society that experiences it? These are the key questions asked in the book that focuses on the part of the world that produced more revolutions (and counterrevolutions) in the last few decades than any of its close or distant neighbours-Ukraine. Some of the best experts on contemporary Ukraine from the region and beyond piece together the story of the three revolutions and examine the events that produced key turning points in the recent Ukrainian and East European history: the student Revolution on the Granite of 1990, the Maidan Protests of 2004, and the Revolution of Dignity of 2013-2014. This is an essential read for anyone who wants to understand Ukraine, Eastern Europe, the current crisis in East-West relations, and last, but not least, the phenomenon of the modern revolution."-Serhii Plokhy, Harvard University "It is impossible to understand the development of independent Ukraine without also understanding three events that had powerful and direct impacts on all aspects of political and economic life in the country: the Granite Revolution, the Orange Revolution, and the Revolution of Dignity. While occurring years apart, the three represent a united chain of events that continue to push Ukraine in the direction of unifying into a single European space and adopting European values, which the majority of Ukrainians see as the key to a stable, prosperous, peaceful, and secure future. The academic significance of the '3R' project cannot be overstated. It brought together a vast array of Ukrainian and international researchers to forge a book that is without analogy and which is of considerable value to international Ukraine watchers, domestic legislators, foreign policy makers, and other readers who are interested in learning more about the important geopolitical crossroad in Europe."-Andriy  Meleshevych, National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy