Status Seeking through Peacekeeping: Ukraine's Quest for a Positive Social Identity in the International System

When do states pursue status enhancement through peacekeeping and how do they go about it? This article argues that states’ contributions to peace operations can be related to attempts at acquiring a positive identity in the international arena through membership in highly ranked groups. Drawing on insights from social identity theory and peacekeeping and burden-sharing research, the article elaborates on how states choose an identity management strategy that involves peacekeeping practices, the factors influencing states’ ability to pursue status through peacekeeping, and the conditions for succeeding in acquiring the desired social identity. Ukraine's significant peacekeeping engagement in the first two decades following independence represents an intriguing case of an emerging state positioning itself in the international and regional systems, which makes it a relevant case study to explore. Therefore, the article discusses how two of Ukraine's formative peacekeeping experiences have fostered, or alternatively undermined, the pursuit of a positive social identity, first as a sovereign state and member of the broader international community and second as an aspiring member of the Western community of states.