The Russian War Against Ukraine: Investigations of Its Social and Historical Context, 2014-2024

This compelling collection of essays unveils various underlying layers of the Russo-Ukrainian War, casting it against a sweeping socio-historical backdrop. Far more than a military-political chronicle, this empirically rich volume--rooted in the contested terrain of history--delves into a tapestry of pressing themes: humanitarian ripples of neighboring alliances, fierce contests within the information arena, seismic shifts in social fabric, and intricate dimensions of identity transformation. The incisive analyses are often methodologically innovative, particularly in dissecting the functioning of occupation regimes within modern warfare and unearthing subtle yet striking historical parallels. It probes both the grand sweep of institutional forces and the intimate pulse of community life, offering a dual lens on the conflict’s far-reaching impact.
Spanning the first decade of the Russo-Ukrainian War, the essays defy a simple division into its two main phases, instead weaving a narrative that traces the unbroken threads and evolving dynamics of the struggle. Born from conference dialogues, this book does not chase exhaustive completeness. Rather, it embraces the enigma of an unfolding war and its uncertain horizon. With thought-provoking insights and space for contemplation, it beckons readers into the heart of a complex, living history.

Olha Marmilova (Edited by)
Dr. Olha Marmilova studied history in Donetsk. Since 2024, she has been a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Democracy Institute of the Central European University in Budapest. Previously, she held fellowships at the Free University of Berlin, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, and University of St. Gallen, as well as an Associate Professorship at the Vasyl Stus Donetsk National University (DonNU) in Vinnytsia. Her previous books include A History of Ostarbeiter from the Donetsk Region (DonNU 2020) and Ukrainian Ostarbeiter: Research, Documents, Testimonies (DonNU 2023). Her papers have been published by, among others, Leipziger Universitätsverlag and Postmodern Openings.

Yuliia Soroka (Edited by)
Dr. Yuliia Soroka studied sociology at Karazin National University of Kharkiv where she is, since 2014, a Professor of Sociology. She is also Senior Researcher at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva. Previously, she held a Fulbright Scholarship at the Kennan Institute in Washington, DC, a non-resident Prisma Ukraïna Fellowship at the Forum Transregionale Studien in Berlin, Gerda Henkel Fellowship, and Scholars at Risk Fellowship at the University of Fribourg. She is a member of the boards of the journals Sociology: Theory, Methods and Marketing and Sociological Studies of Contemporary Society: Methodology, Theory, Methods. Her previous books include The Native, Strange, and Different: A Sociocultural Perspective on the Perception of the Other (Kharkiv National University 2012) and chapters in War, Migration, Memory: Perspectives on Russia’s War Against Ukraine (transcript 2025) and War in Ukraine 2022: Personal Experiences of Ukrainian Scholars (ibidem 2024). Her papers have been published by, among other outlets, Symbolic Interaction, and The Ideology and Politics Journal.

Ulrich Schmid (Foreword by)
Dr. Ulrich Schmid is Professor of East European Studies at the University of St. Gallen.