The international webinar series “Historians and the War: Rethinking the Future” was launched in May 2022 in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The series brings together historians, social scientists, cultural scholars, scholars of religion, legal experts, and public intellectuals from different countries to discuss current developments in the historical, social, political, and cultural context of Ukraine.

The webinars address questions that extend far beyond the immediate course of the war: How does war reshape historical interpretations? What role do empires, memory politics, and colonial continuities play in the present? How are society, culture, religion, education, and historical institutions transformed by war? What perspectives emerge for justice, reconstruction, and the future of Europe?

Since its launch, the series has featured internationally renowned scholars and experts—including historians, cultural scholars, legal scholars, researchers of religion, and representatives of international institutions—who offer diverse perspectives on contemporary Ukraine and the historical dimensions of Russia’s war against the country.

The webinar series serves as an international platform for scholarly exchange on war, historical responsibility, social transformation, and the future of Ukraine and Europe.

Thematic Focus Areas

The webinars conducted so far have addressed, among others, the following thematic areas:

• Empire, Colonialism, and Decolonization
  Russian empires, colonial continuities, Eastern Europe, and new perspectives on Ukrainian history.
• War, Violence, and Historical Rupture
  Fascism, “rashism,” genocide, political violence, and historical ruptures.
• Occupation, Society, and Everyday Life during War
  Experiences of civilians under occupation, displacement, survival, and everyday life in wartime.
• Memory, Testimonies, and Oral History
  Documentation of war, witness testimonies, and historical methodology.
• Propaganda and Politics of History
  Russian narratives, disinformation, and the political instrumentalization of history.
• Archives, Museums, and Cultural Heritage
  Protection of cultural heritage, museums, cultural losses, reconstruction, and international cooperation.
• Religion and Society
  The role of religion in post-Soviet Ukraine and in the Russo-Ukrainian War.
• Education, Textbooks, and Knowledge Production
  Teaching Ukrainian history and future perspectives on historical education.
• Environment and War
  Ecological consequences of war and their long-term impact on society and landscapes.
• Justice, Responsibility, and the Future
  Historical responsibility, transitional justice, memory, and societal visions for the future.

▶ YouTube Channel of the German-Ukrainian Historical Commission

https://www.youtube.com/@deutsch-ukrainischehistori4976/videos

Call for Webinar Proposals

Members of the German-Ukrainian Historical Commission are invited to submit proposals for further scholarly webinars. Information on new events will be updated on an ongoing basis.