Psychosemantic peculiarities of Ukrainian, French and African youth's perceptions of imperialism

Abstract

B a c k g r o u n d . The current geopolitical situation, including Russia"s war against Ukraine, makes the study of young people"s perceptions of imperialism relevant. Imperialism is a multifaceted phenomenon that has economic, cultural, and socio-political impact. The purpose of the study is to identify and analyze the constructs used by young people in different countries to perceive France and Russia as imperialist powers.

M e t h o d s . A mixed-methods research was conducted, combining qualitative methods (analysis of interviews using George Kelly"s theory of personal constructs and an association experiment) with statistical methods, such as regression analysis.

R e s u l t s . The qualitative analysis showed that respondents used different constructs to describe France and Russia. African respondents most often mentioned constructs related to power and domination, while French respondents focused on imperialism and cultural differences.

Ukrainian respondents focused on cultural differences and ideology. Detailed analysis allowed us to identify eleven constructs that were used in the questionnaire with a semantic differential.

The regression analysis showed that for African respondents, the most important constructs for perceiving France in the context of imperialism are "Hostile – Friendly", "Eastern – Western" and "Militaristic – Pacifist", and for Russia – "Hostile – Friendly", "Aggressive – Peaceful" and "Discriminating – Discriminated". In the French group, the construct Aggressive – Peaceful is significant for the perception of France, while for Russia it is Militaristic – Pacifist. In the Ukrainian group, the constructs "Hostile – Friendly" and "Conservative – Modern" are significant for the perception of France, while for Russia – "Aggressive – Peaceful" and "Authoritarian – Democratic".

C o n c l u s i o n s . The analysis of qualitative data showed that different groups of respondents have different perceptions of French and Russian imperialism, focusing on cultural, ideological and historical aspects. The regression analysis confirmed the importance of the constructs "Hostile – Friendly", "Aggressive – Peaceful" and "Militaristic – Pacifist" for the perception of both countries. This study highlights the importance of cultural and social context in shaping geopolitical perceptions.