Wounds of War: Ukraine Two Years After the Invasion

XXVIII. Greifswalder Ukrainicum – Greifswald Ukrainian Summer School under the scientific direction of Professor Dr. Roman Dubasevych (Greifswald)

Two years after the Russian invasion, the Ukrainian population continues to demonstrate remarkable resistance and resilience in defending their country, despite acute shortages of ammunition, combat aircraft, and personnel. However, behind the heroic images of an “unbroken” or “invincible” nation, a deeply wounded society is gradually emerging, confronting the devastating psychosocial, ecological, economic, and cultural costs of the war.

While acknowledging the steadfast resistance, resourcefulness, and self-sacrifice of ordinary and extraordinary Ukrainians, this year's Ukrainicum aims to retrospectively examine the past two years, seeking to reflect on and assess the short- and long-term consequences of Ukraine's continued struggle against destruction.

Through seminars and lectures focused on the social, economic, ecological, and psychological impacts of the war, the Greifswalder Ukrainicum continues its tradition of exploring how Ukrainian culture responds to, reflects on, and deals with this catastrophic event in its recent history.

Our traditionally interdisciplinary approach gains depth by incorporating experiences from other dramatic – whether hot or frozen – conflicts and contemporary arenas such as the wars in former Yugoslavia, Nagorno-Karabakh, Belarus or Israel. This comparative perspective not only places the Ukrainian case in a transnational and global context but also offers valuable insights into the dynamics of modern military conflicts – their past, present, and prompts discussions about their end and the future after apocalyptic events.

All participants will have the opportunity to work intensively on these topics in Greifswald for two weeks. During this time, there will also be ample opportunities to network with other young and senior scholars.

The language of instruction is English. Successful participation requires language proficiency at the B2/C1 level or higher.