Friday | February 23, 2024 | 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM

As we approach the two-year mark of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine,  an important conversation about the war, moderated by sociologist Alexandra Hrycak from Reed College, will take place at Cooper Union. 

The discussion will focus on understanding the resilience and resistance of Ukrainians in the face of Russia’s attempts to erase cities and towns, deport children, and target civilian infrastructure. The speakers will explore the broader implications of the war, including what it reveals about the failures of the international legal and security system and the challenges of preserving Ukrainian statehood, culture, and identity under Russian invasion and the impact of Russian disinformation cyber-campaigns on Western public discourse. 

Discussion Topics:

• The violent experiences of Russian occupation and the ongoing bombing of civilians led Ukrainians to resist Russia’s calls to cede significant Ukrainian territory immediately.
• Exploring colonial, imperial, and genocidal discourses used to justify the war.
• The societal challenges Ukraine faces after two years of relentless conflict.
• Strategies for safeguarding Ukrainian culture and identity amidst destruction and looting of museums and other critical cultural infrastructure.
• The impact of Russian disinformation cyber-campaigns on Western public discourse.

The speakers include the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize winner and lawyer, Oleksandra Matviichuk (Ukraine, participating remotely); political scientist and philosopher Volodymyr Yermolenko, president of PEN Ukraine; and anthropologist Kristina Hook, a senior fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center.