Comparative analysis of the Rusin and West Polesian movements in contemporary ethnopolitology

This article reviews scholarly works that feature comparative analyses of two Slavic ethnopolitical movements: the Rusin movement in Ukraine and the West Polesian movement in Belarus. The analysis identifies several inaccuracies in the existing literature, which can be attributed to a scarcity of systematic, fact-based studies on these movements - a particular issue within the historiography of the West Polesian case. Furthermore, the scholarly potential of numerous works is diminished by excessive political engagement. To date, only the work of Russian political scientist AA. Tokarev presents a comprehensive analysis, framing the Rusin and West Polesian movements as secessionist projects within post-Soviet states through a detailed assessment of a clearly defined set of factors. The development of a universal methodology for evaluating ethnopolitical movements (including the Rusin and West Polesian) within the Slavic cultural and civiLizationaL space seems promising. A foundation for such a methodology could integrate the approach of Czech anthropologist P. Lozoviuk, as discussed in this article, with Tokarev's aforementioned framework. Future comparative studies should engage with high-quality research on the nature of these movements and pursue new sources (in particular, archival documents that elucidate the positions of ruling elites and civil society institutions in states that have influenced such movements) that may clarify under-researched aspects of the phenomena.

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