Multivocal Stories About Caring During the War in Ukraine, as Told by Polish Researchers

Abstract

The text introduces the idea of a “new normal” in connection with the ongoing war in Ukraine, which affects not only those who are directly involved but also those who experience it indirectly. The study used collective autoethnography to identify common motives and patterns of action. There were presented statements of three women—university lecturers from three Polish universities who struggled with worries and conflict of conscience regarding the war in Ukraine and the Ukrainian refugees. The contexts of the limits of one’s ability to care for others and take steps to preserve one’s own well-being were given. The importance of thinking about a common future and perceiving the impact of history on the present was emphasized, taking into account memories of the Volhynian Massacre and prejudice against Ukrainians resulting from the negative experiences of ancestors and neighbors. Emotional involvement in various types of care was juxtaposed with human solidarity, a sense of common purpose and a human bond beyond divisions.