'Ukrainians Have A Problem Understanding Their Rights' – Political Philosopher

What You Need To Know:

✅ Mykhailo Minakov discussed a recent UNDP survey made in conjunction with the International Institute of Sociology, outlining the three elements of civility in Ukraine: Civic knowledge, participation in civic practices, and values;
✅ “We as Ukrainians really have problems with understanding our rights;”
✅ “There is a demand for knowing more, but there is no supply;”
✅ The political philosopher was also involved in research polls in the Donbas, where he says public opinion is split between those who live in the occupied territory and those who live on Ukrainian territory.

Political Philosopher Mykhailo Minakov discussed a recent UNDP survey made in conjunction with the International Institute of Sociology, outlining the three elements of civility in Ukraine: Civic knowledge, participation in civic practices, and values. The findings were compared to the discoveries in Moldova and Belarus.

“We as Ukrainians really have problems with understanding our rights,” he says. According to Minakov, over 50% of Belarusians believe that the right to life is a core civic right, while in Ukraine and similarly in Moldova, citizens believe the right to have a job is most important. His theory is that nations who have experienced a war have a different understanding of what the right to life is.

The survey also shows that Ukraine is active in its civic practices, however, there is a demand for more civic education in the country. “There is a demand for knowing more, but there is no supply,” adds Minakov.

The political philosopher was also involved in research polls in the Donbas, where he says public opinion is split between those who live in the occupied territory and those who live on Ukrainian territory. 
Both groups include a large group of individuals who side neither with the Ukrainian side nor with the occupiers and are more concerned with their own survival.

Hromadske’s Nataliya Gumenyuk spoke to Mykhailo Minakov, Political Philosopher in 2016 in Kyiv.