ABSTRACT
The Ukrainian diaspora has played an important role in the democratic development of Ukraine. While existing research provides evidence about different ways in which the diaspora supported such development, especially since the proclamation of Ukraine’s independence, there is limited understanding of whether and how young Ukrainians who emigrated in the last two decades have contributed to the democratisation of their homeland. This chapter addresses this gap by examining the transnational activism of young Ukrainian immigrants in the United States during and after the Euromaidan protests and their contribution to the democratic development of Ukraine from abroad. It draws on a case study of the non-profit organisation Razom, which was established by a group of young Ukrainians in New York City in the wake of the Euromaidan to support democracy, human rights and social justice in Ukraine. The chapter explores the motivations of young Ukrainian immigrants who supported the Euromaidan from abroad; the strategies they employed to facilitate systemic change during and after the Euromaidan, and the impact of their projects in both Ukraine and the United States. The case study of Razom corroborates the chief argument of this volume that the democratic development of a country is not fully grounded in a territorially defined place, but transcends national boundaries and may occur in transnational spaces.
