The Ukrainian Episode
Summary
Recorded in Kyiv during the war, this Omnibus episode features interviews with heritage experts Katerina Chujeva and Alexandra Ivanova at the inauguration of the NAUCMA Research Center. They discuss preserving Ukrainian cultural identity against Russian erasure, the political role of archaeology, and the ethical complexities of wartime damage to ancient sites. The conversation highlights efforts to decolonize historical narratives and integrate Ukraine into the European community through rigorous, honest scholarship.
Topics discussed
Introduction: Heritage preservation in the face of cataclysm
Interview with Andra Ivanova: Museum history and Soviet erasure
Maidan, Crimean annexation, and the struggle for identity
Russian colonialism and the construction of Ukrainian identity
Ukraine's European future and sponsor message
Interview with Andrii Ivanov: Archaeology as political act
Urban development threats and public engagement in archaeology
Scythian heritage, nomadic history, and Western perceptions
Decolonizing academia and the role of the Naukma Center
Preserving war-damaged heritage and post-war reconstruction
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