Resilience, Education, and Pandemic Borders in the Eastern Donbas

Abstract

The presented text refers to civilization changes caused by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, considered in the context of eastern Donbas in Ukraine. Major change is defined as the cessation of the importance of military domination of states in favor of resilience, defined as the ability of an individual or any system to prepare for disruptions, recovering from shocks and stresses, and the ability to adapt after a destructive experience. An important condition for the development of resilience is trust in the authorities and state institutions, of which educational institutions play a decisive role. In the case of Ukraine, building resilience is hampered by the functioning of the atypical demarcation line with the eastern Donbas, where self-proclaimed republics dependent on the Russian Federation have developed. The pandemic border has become a field of conflict to replace open military action. The presence of this line, resulting from hostilities, has a negative impact on the functioning of the educational system on both sides. It becomes necessary to undertake actions supporting the educational system, first of all, in order to reduce the risk of dropping out of school, and in the wider perspective, to strengthen resilience processes that may counteract the negative effects of propaganda and direct warfare.