Mending the divide: intellectuals and intelligentsia in Ukrainian scholarly discourse

The manifestation of Russian imperial ambitions in February 2022 caught many around the world by surprise, but Ukrainian scholarly attempts at decolonization had been ongoing for years prior to invasion. Intellectuals have strived re-imagine identity beyond conceptualization country discourse as ‘little Russia’. This paper examines how phenomenon intelligentsia has re-interpreted, performing a critical analysis on dichotomy between ‘intellectuals’ and ‘intelligentsia’, previously used Soviet Union juxtapose Western academics. study focuses scholarship that underrepresented global science system because its research outputs communicated rather than English. demonstrates reclaims agency intellectuals challenges collectivist understanding term ‘intelligentsia’. academics approach reassessment colonial legacies critically. They reject intellectuals–intelligentsia reconciling two terms accommodate scholars who are able shape their individual purpose through restored academic freedom agency.