Competence Network Interdisciplinary Ukrainian Studies Frankfurt (Oder) – Berlin (KIU)

About

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The KIU competence network is a four-year DAAD-funded project to strengthen Ukraine-related research, teaching, networking and transfer activities. The competence network, initiated and led by the European University Viadrina, includes the ZOiS, the Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, the Freie Universität Berlin, the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities and the Wissenschaftskolleg Berlin.

KIU – Competence Network for Interdisciplinary Ukraine Studies Frankfurt (Oder)-Berlin and the “Denkraum Ukraine” Regensburg, led by the European University Viadrina, are the two Ukraine Centers in Germany funded by the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service). Together, they are working on building Ukraine-related academic research and teaching, disseminating Ukraine expertise in politics, academia, media, and civil society, as well as promoting a Europe-wide dialogue with Ukraine.

 

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KIU – Competence Network Interdisciplinary Ukraine Studies

Frankfurt (Oder)-Berlin

News

Conference The Civil Sphere in Central and Eastern Europe

Conference: The Civil Sphere in Central and Eastern Europe

On 30 June and 1 July, the conference ‘The Civil Sphere in Central and Eastern Europe’ will take place at the European University Viadrina. It features presentations and discussions with scholars from Europe and the U.S., focusing on case studies from Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Serbia, Lithuania, Poland, Bulgaria, and post-socialist East Germany. The event focuses on the roots of special civic and social dynamics in the region and their implications for current political realities and Europe's broader geopolitical context. | Participation in the full conference or individual sessions is welcome. Registration: civilsphere@europa-uni.de

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Keynote Lecture: Can Civil Peace Extend beyond the Nation State? Europe, NATO, and the U.S. in the Shadow of the Russia-Ukraine War - Jeffrey C. Alexander

6 p.m. - 8p.m. | Jeffrey C. Alexander, Lillian Chavenson Saden Professor Emeritus of Sociology at Yale University, founder of cultural sociology and leading theorist of the civil sphere, will give a public lecture at the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder). His lecture, titled ‘Can Civil Peace Extend beyond the Nation State? Europe, NATO, and the U.S. in the Shadow of the Russia-Ukraine War,’ will take place in the Logensaal (Logenstraße 11, 15230 Frankfurt (Oder)) and will be followed by a Q&A session and reception. Join us at the Viadrina for this special occasion!

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KIU Briefing on Ukraine | United Front: The Interplay of Civil and Armed Resistance in Occupied Ukraine and its European Implications

9:30 a.m. | ZOiS, Mohrenstr. 60, 10117 Berlin | Join us for an insightful discussion on the overlooked dimensions of Ukrainian resistance in occupied territories. Drawing on open-source data, political scientist Yuriy Matsiyevsky, KIU Research Fellow at Viadrina University, will explore the interplay of peaceful protest and armed partisan activity as core elements of Ukraine’s national resistance. His analysis sheds light on the resilience of Ukrainian identity and its implications for regional and European security.

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UNET Online Event: Academics in Ukraine’s Frontline Cities

3:00 p.m. | Registration Required | Resilience Under Fire: How Universities in War-Affected Cities Adapt | How do universities continue to operate when war reaches their doorstep? This online event explores how academic institutions in frontline cities—focusing on Kharkiv, Ukraine—have adapted to the challenges of war. Drawing on recent research and first-hand experience, our speakers will discuss the impact of war on universities, faculty, and students, as well as strategies for institutional survival, academic mobility, and the evolving motivations of educators. Organised by the Ukraine Research Network@ZOiS (UNET) in cooperation with the Competence Network Interdisciplinary Ukrainian Studies (KIU), the event offers a unique perspective on the resilience of higher education under extreme conditions.

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‘Germany, Ukraine, Europe: Approaches, Policies and Misunderstandings in the 1990s’ - Jan Claas Behrends

Monday, 23 June 25, 6 to 8 pm. | Ukraine Lecture Series | GD 102 | The 1990s were a key moment to understand the history of Eastern Europe, the post-Soviet space and Ukraine. Many of the problems that haunt the region until today first surfaced during the 1990s where some key decisions were taken, while other were postponed. The talk will take a ciritical look back at the 1990s and raise the question what they can teach us for today's dilemmas.

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New publication: "Ϊ – Ze Ukrajina! On the Resistance in the Occupied Territories" -Yuriy-Matsiyevsky, Susann Worschech

How do people resist in territories occupied by Russian forces? This article by Yuriy Matsiyevsky (National University of Ostroh Academy) and Susann Worschech (European University Viadrina) explores the brave and often hidden forms of resistance in Ukraine's occupied regions, drawing on open-source data to shed light on underground networks, risks, and resilience. Read more in the Country Analyses of ZOIS.

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Fellowships and Programmes

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Fellowships

The KIU Research Fellowship in Interdisciplinary Ukrainian Studies supports innovative and significant research on topics related to Ukraine.

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Programmes

The KIU Competence Network Interdisciplinary Ukrainian Studies Frankfurt (Oder) – Berlin offers various programmes. Among them is its first Summer School on "War in Ukraine: Destruction of heritage – mastering legacy".

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Partners

Funded by

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with funds from the Federal Foreign Office (AA)