What are your research interests?
My research centers on marginalized aspects of modern warfare, with particular attention to how gendered power structures are transformed and reproduced in times of crisis. I am especially interested in how these dynamics shape questions of inclusion and exclusion within societies during and after war. As a critical scholar, I seek to address sensitive and difficult topics that works in the intersection of war and society. My work focuses on Russia’s war against Ukraine, where I examine military mobilization practices and the experiences of Ukrainian men who choose not to fight and instead flee the country. More broadly, I am interested in how militarization, conscription, and shifting norms of masculinity impact both individual lives and social cohesion in contexts of conflict and displacement.
How did you become interested in your field of research?
My current research emerged from an encounter I had in 2022, a few months after the full-scale invasion, when I was stranded in Dublin airport and sat next to a young Ukrainian man. With the travel ban for men already in place, a number of questions emerged from this meeting: How did he managed to leave? How does he feel about having left? How are society perceiving men in his position? At the time, academic, political, and public discourses about the war were dominated by narratives of heroism, unity, and bravery, while very little was known about men who chose not to fight. Already interested in Eastern Europe and the functioning of gender expectations in armed conflict, I decided to explore these silenced perspectives, combining my academic expertise with a pressing societal question about men’s status, self-perceptions, and the broader implications of militarization and mass conscription.
What research question would you above all like to find the answer to? And why is that?
At the core of my research lies the question of how current practices and discourses of militarization reshape social hierarchies, and with what implications for society. Within this broader frame, I am particularly interested in Ukraine and the men who chose not to fight. I ask how they navigate (gendered) societal expectations, civic responsibilities, and the everyday survival of themselves and their families during full-scale war. Equally important are the long-term consequences: what does their decision to leave mean for their future social status in Ukraine, and how might these dynamics affect broader processes of social cohesion and post-war reconstruction? These questions matter because they speak not only to Ukraine’s future, but also to the ways societies more generally negotiate the tensions between militarization, citizenship, and gendered expectations.
What impact do you expect the Talent Track will have on your career and your research field?
I expect the Talent Track to have a decisive impact on both my career and my research field. The additional funding will enable further fieldwork and create opportunities to build networks with Ukrainian scholars through workshops. This is crucial for a study whose epistemic foundation relies on Ukrainian voices and knowledge. The program will also strengthen my trajectory toward securing a prestigious grant to continue this research, while the mentorship component will ensure continuous progression, critical feedback, and the generation of new ideas. Finally, being part of the Talent Track network will expand my academic collaborations and enhance the visibility of my research within broader debates on war, gender, and society.
Which impact do you expect your research to have on the surrounding society?
My research aims to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of militarization, conscription, and the role of men in times of crisis. By examining how displaced Ukrainian men are perceived and how they themselves respond to military obligations, the study sheds light on questions of social cohesion, reintegration, and gendered citizenship in wartime and beyond. These insights are important not only for Ukraine’s post-war recovery but also for broader debates in Europe, where conscription is re-emerging and raising critical questions about how men navigate mandatory mobilization in contexts shaped by neoliberal values, individual freedom, and shifting norms of masculinity. In this way, my research seeks to inform both academic discussions and public policy in addressing the challenges of reintegration, inclusion, and social stability as war has returned to Europe.
