Ukraine appeared on the mental map of the world when Russia began its attempt to erase it. What is discovered, however, is not automatically understood. The admiration expressed in many parts of the globe for Ukraine’s courage against the invading army signalled the support of the international community for the Ukrainian cause. It also demonstrated a profound gap in the knowledge of the country’s history. It is this history and the more recent past that can explain how this extraordinary bravery is possible today.
In this talk, Khromeychuk will explore why Ukraine remained terra incognita to the rest of the world until its very existence was threatened by Russia. She will discuss why the newly-gained visibility does not equate with an understanding of the country. She will also interrogate the notion of credibility of voice and why the knowers are so frequently mistrusted with their experience. The talk will offer suggestions for how the gap between visibility and knowledge could be bridged.
Dr Olesya Khromeychuk is a historian and writer. She received her PhD in History from University College London. She has taught the history of East-Central Europe at the University of Cambridge, University College London, the University of East Anglia, and King’s College London. She is author The Death of a Soldier Told by His Sister (2022) and ‘Undetermined’ Ukrainians. Post-War Narratives of the Waffen SS ‘Galicia’ Division (2013). She is currently the Director of the Ukrainian Institute London.
Photo: Det Norske Videnskaps-Akademi/Thomas B. Eckhoff
17 сен 2024
