VETERANS AS A NEW ELEMENT OF UKRAINE’S SOCIAL STRUCTURE: DEVELOPMENT OF A DUAL PEST/PESTLE ANALYSIS MODEL

Abstract

The article demonstrates that, in post-war Ukraine, veterans acquire the characteristics of a new social class shaped by specific economic positioning, high social capital, institutional recognition, and a shared collective identity. It integrates theories of social stratification (Veteran Peoplehood, Emergent Veteran Identity, Social Identity Theory, and Social Capital Theory) and applies a systems approach combined with PEST/PESTLE and socioeconomic status (SES) analysis to examine veterans as a structurally differentiated social formation within a complex macro-environment. Veterans are shown to occupy a distinct position in the social hierarchy through access to material and social resources, occupational status, income, and educational attainment, while simultaneously generating high levels of bonding, bridging, and linking social capital. The study conceptualizes the veteran class as a dynamic socio-structural formation emerging from the transformation of military experience into socio-economic resources, human capital, and managerial competencies. It is further substantiated that veterans function not only as an object of social policy but also as an active driver of economic development, public administration reform, institutional trust building, and national identity formation. A bilateral interaction model is proposed, emphasizing reciprocal influence between veterans and society, while PESTLE analysis confirms that reintegration processes are shaped by interconnected political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental factors requiring a coordinated cross-sectoral policy framework. The scale of the veteran population highlights its potential to become a significant socio-economic stratum influencing labor markets, entrepreneurship, and regional development. Overall, the findings underscore the necessity of rethinking veterans’ role from a vulnerable group to a structurally important element of post-war social transformation. This reconfiguration positions veterans as a key actor in shaping Ukraine’s long-term development trajectory.