Converse History Club Examines Headlines Behind Ukraine and Russia

The Converse community recently met with three leading scholars to place the current events in Ukraine and Russia in a historical context.

The “Russia and Ukraine: History Behind the Headlines” session probed the value and the necessity of thinking historically to better understand the worlds around us.

Each of the three historians approached the current conflict from a different perspective, exploring the deeply intertwined histories of Russia and Ukraine and the Cold War and post-Cold War disputes that have led to the Russian invasion.

The virtual event was moderated by Yale University professor David Engerman, Leitner International Interdisciplinary Professor, Department of History and Jackson Institute for Global Affairs.

History major Kelly Wertz ’24 said the event allowed the Converse community to learn about what’s happening in the world by delving into history. “I learned that there is a long-running historical conflict between Russia and Ukraine. I concluded that this will definitely not be the last we see of Russia and Ukraine. We can be hopeful that this conflict will not progress as it seems to be going.”

History senior, Sierra Feser ’22 echoed that this session was a good opportunity to learn the backstory of Russia and Ukraine’s complex history. Sierra said, “It’s important to note that while this war only recently came into the public eye, this does not mean this conflict is new. To Ukrainians, this war has been happening since 2014.”

Associate Professor of Theatre, Meg Hanna Tominaga is currently coordinating with other theatre-makers and local community groups for a Ukrainian Worldwide Play Reading Series on April 25, 2022, at Converse University. The staged readings of translated plays by Ukrainian playwrights will address the situations facing the Ukrainian people since 2014.