Browsing by Author "Stepnisky, Jeff"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
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    Revolution unfinished: comparing collective memory in the Kyiv Post and RT
    (2020) Ilkiw, David; Stepnisky, Jeff
    From November 2013 – February 2014, Ukraine’s Independence Square (or Maidan) became the site of revolution. The Maidan Revolution culminated in the deaths of over 100 protesters and law enforcement, and the removal of former President Viktor Yanukovych. Subsequently, several studies have observed how Maidan is being remembered (see Kozachenko, 2020; Nuzov, 2016; Shevel, 2016). I rely on the perspectives of Maurice Halbwachs (2011/1925) on collective memory, Robin Wagner-Pacifici (1996; 2010; 2017) on events, and various perspectives on media framing in journalism. This paper builds upon existing literature by exploring the formation of collective memory in 52 newspaper articles from the Kyiv Post and RT. From my findings I argue both news outlets accept Maidan as part of their taken for granted memory. Both outlets primarily frame Maidan using national memory narratives. Like Kozachenko (2020), I observed the presence of Ukrainophile and Sovietophile historical frames. Though both news outlets frame Maidan as a failed revolution, I argue Maidan is characterized differently by the Kyiv Post and RT. Whereas, the Kyiv Post frames Maidan as a tragic unfinished revolution, RT constructs a framing of Maidan as a coup which allows them to compare it to current events.
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    Staging atmosphere on the Ukrainian Maidan
    (2018) Stepnisky, Jeff
    This article uses atmosphere theory to describe the revolutionary events on Ukraine’s Maidan Nezalezhnosti as they unfolded from November 2013 to February 2014. Like other recent occupation movements (Tahrir Square, Gezi Park, Zuccotti Park), the Maidan protestors created a vast infrastructure that supported large-scale protest and daily life on the square. I argue that atmosphere, or the feeling of place, was important to the makeup of Maidan. Like other occupation movements, Maidan became a “world” unto itself because it generated unique feelings that held the place together. Drawing on atmosphere theorists Peter Sloterdijk and Gernot Böhme, I describe the atmospheres of Maidan, show how these atmospheres were generated, and then describe how these atmospheres influenced the course of the revolution.
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    Yes, I do throw like a girl. An analysis of the social reinforcement of hegemonic masculinity in sport.
    (2022) Gagnon, Alexandra; Stepnisky, Jeff
    Female athletes have not only been historically excluded from sport but are fighting for equal competition opportunity in sports today. Traits associated with hegemonic masculinity are embraced in the sporting-community, which asserts the notion of male dominance over women. Hegemonic masculinity is learned by athletes through various socialization processes. This paper begins with a personal statement from the author, then analyzes various factors which contribute to a culture of hegemonic masculinity acceptance within the sporting community. This includes stereotypes in sport, language in sport, segregation, social reinforcement, the dramatization of evil, and stigmatization. It concludes by investigating Canadian female participation in sport today, the measures being taken to improve female retention and participation in Canada. This paper was written for the MacEwan University 2022 Sociology Paper of Excellence competition.