The 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine

Abstract

After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, there was controversial discussion in German-speaking academia about the failures of Eastern European studies during the Cold War. Today, since the massive escalation of Russia’s war in Ukraine on 24 February, voices are once again being heard bemoaning the “failure” of Eastern European area studies in recent years. Moreover, in solidarity with Ukraine, some experts in the field are questioning the fundamental findings of critical historical research on nationalism and empire over the last few decades and reviving old patterns of interpretation of the “eternally foreign and barbaric Russia”. In my essay, I argue for not falling back into old patterns of national historical interpretation. At the same time, I assert that we, in academia, should resolutely rally against a political appropriation of history. At the same time, we should self-critically ask which topics of historical analysis we - accustomed as we are to peace and fascinated by the cultural turn - have neglected in our work in recent years, how we can overcome the strong focus of our discipline on the history of Russia and the USSR and direct our attention to other historical regions of Eastern Europe and the post-Soviet space.