Upcoming events

The transformations that followed 1989/91 in Central and Eastern Europe have given rise to new politico-social constellations – marked by evolving patterns of solidarity and trust, societal cleavages, and ambivalent, non-linear dynamics of democratization and de-democratization. These developments differ significantly in their origins and forms from those observed in Western democracies and other global regions. How have these civic and social dynamics been shaped by the legacies of socialism and communism, as well as by the transition and post-transition processes? How are they reflected in the current political and societal realities of the region? And what implications do they hold for Europe and the broader geopolitical landscape?

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.

On 16 June 2025, the first graduate programme for Ukrainian Studies in Germany will be officially launched at the European University Viadrina. We warmly invite you to join us in welcoming twelve doctoral students at the KIU!

1 p.m. – 2 p.m. GD 206 // In this Lunch Lecture, Liudmyla Pidkiumukha will present her research project on the systematic erasure of language and identity in the occupied territories of Ukraine as a tool of colonial domination. Using qualitative content analysis, her research draws on official reports, media sources, and testimonies documenting Russian policies targeting the Ukrainian linguistic and cultural landscape. Cases of forced Russification in education, media, and public spaces, the destruction of Ukrainian books and libraries, and the removal of Ukrainian-language signage and memorials show the systematic effort to eradicate Ukrainian identity through linguistic suppression, aligning with historical patterns of imperial domination. Cultural erasure is further reinforced through the promotion of Russian historical narratives and the suppression of Ukrainian heritage. // Save the dates: our next Lunch Lectures will take place on 25 June and 9 July at the same location.

6 p.m. - 8p.m., Institut für Slawistik und Hungarologie, Dorotheenstraße 65, Raum 5.57 // On Wednesday, June 11, KIU research fellow Alexander Dmitriev talks about his research topics at our KIU network partner university Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. This study is devoted to the history of Ukrainian émigré scholarship and to the history of discussions about the specifics and independent development of Ukrainian science and culture, as well as a contribution to the history of interwar Russian Eurasianism (in four articles from 1927–1932). The main figures in this controversy were the Russian linguist Nikolai Trubetzkoy (1890–1938), the founder of Eurasianism, and the Ukrainian historian Dmytro Doroshenko (1882–1951). Dmitiriev tries to outline the historical context of the controversy, its main ideas and roots, and its key protagonists. The final part of the lecture illustrates the second life of the polemic and highlights its continued relevance today.