Resources and Inspiration: How Studying at HUSI has Contributed to My Ongoing Research Project

by Daria Glazkova, 2021

Daria GlazkovaAmong other reasons, my motivation to join HUSI 2021 was to expand my knowledge of Ukrainian history in preparation for the research project I will be working on over the next academic year. I am currently pursuing my MA in European and Russian Affairs at the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto. Conducting a study on a topic in European studies is part of the degree. My research focuses on the changing cityscape of Odesa in the years after the Revolution of Dignity and as a result of the decommunization initiatives in Ukraine. Specifically, I hope to find out how Odesa’s new cosmopolitan narrative could be implemented in attempts to distance the city from its Russian past and develop its distinctive national identity.

I believed that HUSI could be an excellent platform for someone looking to fill gaps in their knowledge of Ukrainian history, find brilliant resources for a research focused on a Ukrainian city, and establish valuable networks with young scholars in Ukrainian studies. Certainly, HUSI has exceeded my expectations in all these respects!  

I took the course Tradition and Modernity in Ukraine, 19th and 20th Centuries taught by Professor Serhiy Bilenky. Despite the classes being delivered in virtual format this year, Professor Bilenky was able to capture the students’ attention with his well-structured and intellectually stimulating lectures and inspire lively debates on the material. The course uniquely fit my purpose of preparing to delve into the study of Odesa as a Ukrainian urban space. Not only I was able to gain a new understanding of various aspects of Ukrainian history of 19th and 20th centuries, but I also had an opportunity to learn about the development of urban areas in Ukraine which is specifically beneficial for my research project. In fact, one of the classes was entirely devoted to a discussion of Odesa. The city was examined through various narratives associated with it, such as that of a multiethnic space, an imperial project, a commercial hub, and a “free-spirited” city. 

Other classes were on Kyiv, Lviv, and other urban spaces in Ukraine. Professor Bilenky encouraged us to draw parallels and recognize differences in how Ukrainian cities emerged and grew, as well as what kind of mythologies have been associated with them. Therefore, I had a chance to not simply learn more about Odesa but also gain a perspective on the pattern of urban development in Ukraine more broadly and on Odesa’s standpoint vis-à-vis other Ukrainian cities. 

Odesa Transfiguration Cathedral
Odesa: The Transfiguration Cathedral (19th-century view). Source: Internet Encyclopedia of Ukraine, Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies.

 

An opportunity to find even more resources and inspiration for my study of Odesa’s cityscape came through the fantastic series of public talks organized at HUSI. The opening public lecture was a discussion of Dr. Marta Dyczok’s book Ukraine Calling: A Kaleidoscope from Hromadske Radio 2016–2019. The book presents interviews with Ukrainian and international public figures who reflected on events following the Revolution of Dignity. During her presentation of the book, Dr. Dyczok emphasized that as time passes, specific details about certain events may get erased from individual and collective memories. Thus, the goal of her book is to preserve the accounts provided directly during the turbulent times associated with Russian annexation of Crimea and military invasion in Donbas. The presentation of the book has inspired me to read the interviews, some of which I believe could grant a perspective on the position and role of the Ukrainian South during the political turmoil following the year of 2014.

Screenshot of Dyzcok public lecture
Dr. Marta Dyczok, Andriy Kulykov and Oksana Smerechuk at the lecture “Ukraine Calling: A Kaleidoscope from Hromadske Radio 2016–2019. June 25, 2021

 

A public talk that addressed ideas immediately related to the topic of my research was Dr. Serhy Yekelchyk’s presentation, “The Birth of a New Memorial Culture in Ukraine after the Euromaidan.” Dr. Yekelchyk focused on such aspects of new forms of commemoration in Ukraine as the reimagining of existing Soviet monuments, novel approaches to official state-funded memorial projects, and informal spontaneous memorial sites initiated by people. The talk has inspired me to perform an analysis of the new memorial culture in Odesa as a significant part of my study of Odesa’s transforming cityscape and the ideological message it aspires to convey.

Screenshot of Yekelchyk public event
Dr. Serhy Yekelchyk presenting on the new memorial culture in post-Euromaidan Ukraine. July 23, 2021

 

The final public event was a conversation held by Dr. Emily Channell-Justice with the Ukrainian author Andrey Kurkov. This was a discussion largely focused on Andrey Kurkov's book Grey Bees that was read by the participants of the TCUP book club. Kurkov discussed how Grey Bees is an attempt to tell the story of the war with Russia from the perspective of someone he would call a “typical representative of the grey zone,” that is an individual directly affected by the war but who does not take sides as they tend to not analyze political situations and are primarily concerned with survival under the circumstances. Kurkov emphasized the importance of telling stories from diverse perspectives and notably expressed an opinion that there are as many “Ukraines” as there are individuals living in the country – each has a different understanding of what Ukraine is. This has greatly inspired me to look at my academic research as a creative way to contribute to the ever-growing plethora of unique narratives of Ukraine. 

Screenshot of Andrey Kurkov public event
Andrey Kurkov in conversation with Dr. Emily Channel-Justice. July 30, 2021

 

Finally, HUSI has been a (virtual) place where I could meet incredibly talented young scholars – my classmates! I have been fascinated to learn what kind of studies they are pursuing and what academic and public initiatives they have been part of. We have created a social media group chat through which we plan to keep sharing various interesting materials (not excluding memes) related to Ukrainian studies and events in Ukraine. In fact, some excellent resources on urban history that are potentially useful for my project have already been shared!

I hope that my overview could be seen as an illustration of the superb materials and great inspiration one can find at HUSI and encourage others to join this extraordinary program and the amazing academic community.