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European Values as perceived by Ukrainian students:�communicating values through popular culture

Olena Tupakhina

Zaporizhzhya National University

Ukraine

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Building Values through Pop Culture: Trends

Responsible consumption (DazedMedia, 2020)

CML and CGE learning tool

Propaganda (Herman, Chomsky 1988)

Hybrid Warfare (Razumkov Centre, 2015)

Banning cultural products

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European Values in Ukraine: �mapping attitudes

Fragmented vision: focusing on personally profitable values (Gorshenin Institute, 2018)
Disbelief: Europe as “an unattainable object of desire” (Yavorska & Bogomolov, 2010)
Isolationism: 24,4% support neither European or Eurasian integration 2017 (Gorshenin Institute, 2018)
Growing disappointment: 28% of young adults doubt EU functionality (New Europe Foundation, 2017)

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Research Questions

What values-building messages have been delivered through Ukrainian popular culture products after 2014?
What way are the values communicated by Ukrainian pop-culture recognized and interpreted by target audience (TA)?
To what extend could formal training influence the TA’s European Values awareness and comprehension skills?

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Methods

Theoretical framework

Philosophical hermeneutics
Phenomenology
Receptive aesthetics

Methodologies

Critical Global Education
Critical Media Literacy
Deconstruction

Participants and Procedure

Mixed groups
Group projects based on MPA algorithm
Follow-up survey

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MPA algorythm

Initial impression
Feedback analysis

Reception

Historical and cultural background
National specificity

Contexts

Appearance
Language
Actions

Characters

Binary oppositions
Resolutions
Ideology

Conflicts

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Products targeted at general audience

Visualizing axiological shift: democracy, tolerance, reconsidering femininity
Survivalist and traditional values at the core: tradition over change, heritage, deference to authority
Absolute categories
Paternalism
Misogyny

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European identity: visualizing stereotypes

Racial vs social Europeanness
Civilization / barbarianism opposition resolved in favor of the latter
Positive: intellectually superior, sophisticated, rational, polite
Negative: restrained, insincere, cunning, calculating, greedy

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Products targeted at young adult audience

Values-building messages relevant to the TA’s personal experience: human dignity, tolerance, equality
Most visible: individualism, solidarity, LGBT tolerance, gender equality
Least visible: democracy, human rights, racial equality
Carnivalization