(Deutsche Version: hier klicken)
On Wednesday, November 1, 2023, a weekly series of lectures and events will begin at Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, focusing on Ukraine in times of the full-scale Russian war of aggression. Gwendolyn Sasse of the Center for Eastern European and International Studies (ZOiS) will kick off the series with a presentation of her new book Russia’s War Against Ukraine (Polity, 2023). The inter-faculty lecture series is organized by the Institute for Slavic Studies (Prof. Dr. Susanne Frank, Dr. Nataliya Tsisar). novinki recommends: go!
More than 600 days after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops, Russian attack and Ukrinian defense continue unabated. The capital Kyiv and numerous other cities of Ukraine, from Kharkiv to L’viv, are regularly bombed, and at the moment (October 2023) there is even talk of one of the most massive offensives in recent months in the Donetsk region. The human losses are enormous on both sides, but peace is far from in sight. Nevertheless, life in Ukraine not only goes on in spite of all this, maintaining a normalcy has even become one of the most important and strongest tactics of survival in this permanently life-threatening situation. Through the tireless repair and reconstruction of destroyed infrastructure, as well as through numerous initiatives in the spheres of industry, business, and art and culture, not only forces are being deployed, but also energies are being released that are so important for Ukraine’s survival and victory. It is hard to believe, but new visions of the future are constantly emerging in Ukraine, and not only visions, but very real projects – civic, technical-industrial, entrepreneurial or artistic-cultural -, which design a new Ukraine and even now, in the midst of war, are working on its symbolic and concrete construction.
In the interdisciplinary series „Rethinking and Reimagining Ukraine in Times of War – and After“, which is enriched by artistic contributions and in which several faculties of Humboldt University are participating, we ask how the situation of threat, attack by Russia and the ongoing war shapes and changes Ukrainian society and culture, and what this means for the future. Scholars, artists and poets from Ukraine will discuss with colleagues from Humboldt University current developments, or developments of the past that are of particular relevance for the present, and future perspectives. Experts from the fields of politics, religion, law, history and cultural studies will reflect on war-related developments in society, religion, law, languages and culture or multiculturalism, as well as in academia and its institutions. And contributions from the field of visual arts, literature and music will show how significant the role of art is as a medium of mourning and empathy, as a remedy of deep wounding and traumatization, but also as an instrument of cultural self-reflection and self-discovery and the development of visions beyond the limits of current reality.
The series takes place (mostly) on Wednesdays from 6-8 p.m. in the HU building Dorotheenstraße 24 in lecture room 1.101 in presence. Please refer to the program for detailed information on some deviating dates. The series will be opened by the President of HU, Julia von Blumenthal, on November 1 and will begin with the presentation of the English translation of Gwendolyn Sasse’s book on the war in Ukraine.Programm der Vortrags- und Veranstaltungsreihe:
1.11. “Russia’s War Against Ukraine“ (Polity, 2023): Gwendolyn Sasse (ZOiS), Vortrag & Buchpräsentation; Eröffnung: Julia von Blumenthal, Präsidentin der HU
8.11. “Unheilige Allianz: Die propagandistische Rechtfertigung des Russland-Ukraine-Krieges durch das Moskauer Patriarchat“: Reinhard Flogaus (HU) / “Die Ukrainische Orthodoxe Kirche: Situation und Perspektiven im Kontext des Krieges“: Serhij Bortnyk (Kyjiw)
‑> Hörsaal 008, Theolog. Fakultät, Burgstr. 26, 16-18 Uhr
15.11. “Consequences of Russian Aggression and Displacement on Ukrainian Ethnic and Religious Diversity”: Viktoria Sereda (Forum Transregionale Studien, Berlin), Moderation: N. Tsisar (HU)
22.11. “Mykhailo Drahomanov and His Opponents in the 1870s. First Public Debate among the Ukrainian Intelligentsia on Nationalism, Populism, Socialism, Progress and Modernity”: Ostap Sereda (CEU Vienna, L’viv/Berlin), Moderation: N. Tsisar (HU)
29.11. “Islam in Ukraine: Community and Perspectives”: Oleh Jarosch (Kyiv NAS of Ukraine, FU Berlin) / “Crimean Tatars‘ Collective Identity, Memory and Islam”: Elmira Muratova (Geneva Graduate Institute), Moderation: J. Schmoller
6.12. “Between Tragedy and Transformation. The Battle for Ukrainian Culture”: Yurii Gurzhy (Musician, Author), Moderation: N. Tsisar (HU)
13.12. “The Lemberg Machine” (2023): Dana Kavelina (Artist), Film screening & Discussion, Moderation: S. Frank (HU)
10.1. “Theater of Hopes and Expectations. A Documentation”: Prykarpattian Theater (UA), Exhibition Opening with Tereza Yakovyna (Artist), Moderation: E. Bauer (HU)
‑> Institut für Slawistik und Hungarologie, Dorotheenstr. 65, 5. OG
17.1. “Countering Russian Aggression Against Ukraine Within the UN”: Natalia Mudrenko (UN), Moderation: N. Tsisar (HU) -> Zoom session, 12 am / “Babyn Jar. Stimmen”: Marianna Kiyanovska (Dichterin), Lesung mit Übersetzungen von Claudia Dathe & Gespräch, Moderation: S. Frank (HU)
24.1. “From Crisis to Opportunity: The Future Trajectory of Ukrainian Studies during and after the War”: Alyona Bidenko, Evgen Zinger, Kateryna Chernii, Moderation: Juliane Fürst (Leibniz-Zentrum für Zeithistorische Forschung, Head of Department “Communism and Society”)
31.1. “Accountability for Atrocities in Ukraine: Challenges and Perspectives”: Florian Jeßberger (HU) in conversation with Dmytro Koval (National University Kyiv-Mohyla Academy and Legal Director of Truth Hounds)
7.2. “Unregelmäßiger Gang. Das postrevolutionäre Jahrzehnt in der Ukraine”: Kateryna Mishchenko (Autorin, Verlegerin, Gründungsmitglied des Ukrainian Insitute for Advanced Study)
14.2. “‘Spiritual Independence’ and the Future Religious Landscape of Ukraine”: Regina Elsner (Universität Münster), Moderation: G. Sasse (HU)