A Post-Colonial Conflict? Russia, Imperialism, and the War against Ukraine

Discussion about the role of imperialism and colonial legacies in Russia’s war against Ukraine

Russia’s war against Ukraine is often discussed in terms of security, geopolitics, and international law. But can it also be understood as a post-colonial conflict? Does the invasion reflect an attempt to reassert imperial influence and maintain a sphere of domination beyond its borders? What does Russia’s past tell us about its ambitions in the present?

The event explores the relationship between imperialism, colonialism, and the ongoing war in Europe. We will discuss competing historical narratives, the role of empire, and how post-colonial perspectives can deepen our understanding of Ukraine’s struggle for self-defence.

Welcome

Wolfgang Mueller
Professor of Russian History, Institute of East European History, University of Vienna

Gerhard Marchl
Karl-Renner-Institut, Vienna

Discussants

Volodymyr Yermolenko 
President, PEN Ukraine

Olesia Isaiuk
Historian, National Memorial Museum "Lontskoho Prison ", Lviv

Donnacha Ó Beacháin
Professor of Politics, School of Law and Government, Dublin City University

Taras Kuzio
Professor of Political Science, National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, Kyiv

The event is organised in cooperation with the Institute of East European History at the University of Vienna, the Faculty of Historical and Cultural Studies at the University of Vienna, and the Austrian-Ukrainian Historical Commission.

The event is supported by the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs.