Women's agency and resistance in Russia's war on Ukraine: From victim of the war to prominent force

Abstract

This article examines the multitudinous forms of resistance exercised by Ukrainian women during the current phase of Russia's war against Ukraine. We explicate the gains women have made serving in Ukraine's military as well as women's important efforts in civilian spheres. We interrogate resistance as a complex gendered practice that involves the negotiation of gender identity, roles, and norms. This article is inspired by and contributes to scholarship interrogating the origins, effects, and dynamics of women's resistance during wartime in both the military and civilian spheres. The article contributes to debates about women's post-conflict empowerment, adding the Ukrainian case to work focused on other societies. We offer suggestions for future research and strategies for promoting equal rights agendas in post-war Ukraine.