INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION ACTIVITIES OF THE OCU AND THE UOC (MP) IN THE CONTEXT OF FULL-SCALE WAR: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

Abstract

The relevance of the research topic is determined by the resonance of the subject of interaction between the OCU and the UOC (MP). A comparative analysis of the information and communication activities of the OCU and the UOC (MP) in the context of full-scale war is important, first and foremost, for understanding the fundamental differences between the positions of the two largest Orthodox denominations in Ukraine. In wartime, religion as a social institution is called upon to support Ukrainian society and help people maintain faith in the future. It should be a unifying factor that strengthens the unity of Ukrainian society, not a tool in the hands of the security services. The debate about the Ukrainian Orthodox Church’s (UOC) ties to the Moscow Patriarchate (MP) is a long-term process that’s happening not only in religious studies circles. Society is the most active participant in this debate. It is thanks to various information resources that each side disseminates its vision of the situation, a point of view that is relayed to the audience of each religious community. This provides opportunities for self-advocacy by the UOC (MP) and can also contribute to constructive informational discourse between the two religious denominations. Studying the information and communication activities of the OCU and the UOC (MP) allows for a broader understanding of the issue at hand. In this context, the aim of this study is to identify the characteristics of the functioning of the religious narrow-denominational media space in Ukraine using the example of the information activities of the OCU and the UOC (MP). The subject of the study is the direct information activities of the OCU and the UOC (MP), their identification, and a comparative analysis of the implementation of information activities by both structures.