author: Igor Chepyegin
Urgency of the research is determined by the urgent need to conduct a comprehensive philosophical-anthropological analysis of the role of borders in the life of individuals, societies, and states. This topic is especially relevant for Ukrainian society, which has undergone an extremely difficult path in its struggle for freedom and independence, has a colonial past, and has experienced the tragic consequences of being behind the Iron Curtain. The negative ontology of the post-Soviet past carries fears of losing national identity in a rapidly globalizing world.
Target setting. In the era of globalization, cultural and social borders are being blurred, but contemporary ethnic conflicts and the political isolation of certain countries hinder the formation of a unified global society. A retrospective analysis of the anthropological consequences of isolation and the division of the world by the Iron Curtain will shed light on the causes of both local and global conflicts.
Actual scientific researches and issues analysis. The study of the anthropological consequences of the Iron Curtain requires reference to the works of V. Andrushchenko, E. Bystritsky, M. Boychenko, M. Holko, R. Zymovets, P. Nora, N. Maslovska, A. Sheptytsky, as well as H. Korzh, S. Korniyenko, N. Radionova, among others.
The research objective. The goal is to philosophically and anthropologically conceptualize the consequences of being behind the Iron Curtain, considering Ukraine’s experience of political, social, and cultural isolation and assimilation.
The statement of basic materials. The formation of a modern democratic nation in Ukraine is taking place within the context of historical memory, which is deeply permeated by negative recollections of the totalitarian past. The tragic anthropological experience accumulated throughout history both slows down and accelerates the country's return to the universal human civilization. The policy of isolation significantly limited human freedom and the right to self-affirmation. Ukraine, which was under the colonial regime of the Soviet Union for an extended period, has a tragic experience of isolation. This led to the suspension of its own ethno-national and cultural development. Ideological assimilation was systematically and consistently carried out through the educational process and propaganda, imposing Marxism-Leninism, which created a uniformity of thought and public opinion in line with the regime’s requirements. This restricted critical thinking and the diversity of ideas, negatively impacting the cultural and intellectual development of society. Freedom of thought and creativity faced significant limitations, complicating cultural progress and social change.
Conclusions. The policy of isolation, systematically implemented at all levels of social life, has severe cultural, social, and anthropological consequences for societies that have long been behind the Iron Curtain. These consequences are felt not only by the generation that experienced the isolation, but they also hinder the country's development by excluding it from global information and communication flows, isolating it from global economic, political, and sociocultural life. Furthermore, these effects resurface in the collective memory of future generations.
Keywords: individual, state, policy of isolation, Iron Curtain, adaptation, cultural and political borders
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