Archive

With artworks that give expression to the shared experiences of Ukrainian migrants in Germany, an exhibition of the creative laboratory Art Ponedilok will open at ZOiS on 10 March. By intersecting visual arts and academic research, participants reclaim the agency that is often taken from them in mass displacement.

The beginning of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine will mark its fourth anniversary on February 24, 2026. On this occasion, the consequences of Russia's war for Ukraine, for Europe, and for world politics, as well as the lessons that can be learned from past wars in Europe, will be discussed.

In order to illustrate possible paths toward a dissertation, this in-person meeting will bring together undergraduate and graduate students, as well as prospective PhD candidates, with PhD students who are nearing the completion of their dissertations. The latter will share their experiences and offer advice.

At the end of the first funding period, the KonKoop research network presents results and achievements from four years of multidisciplinary collaboration. KonKoop develops expertise on conflict constellations and dynamics of cooperation in Eastern Europe, Southeast Europe, Central Asia, and the Caucasus.

Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine radically altered the conditions for studying Russian politics and society. This event gathers policymakers, journalists and scholars to explore different research methods and what they can still reveal about Russian politics, public opinion and economic realities.

This roundtable will explore how shifts in global power are reshaping politics, alliances and societies in the South Caucasus. Topics will include changing relations with the EU, the geopolitics of infrastructure projects and the role of civil society and diversity in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

The full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 triggered the largest wave of migration from Russia in decades. This presentation views this exodus in a broader historical perspective, tracing continuities with earlier waves of Russian migration, while also identifying what is genuinely new.

War strikes at the core of science and education. The SCIENCE AT RISK Monitoring Report shows how Ukrainian universities continue to operate amid the ongoing destruction. Join us to discuss how to balance emergency aid with long-term rebuilding, resilient governance, and laying the foundation for post-war renewal.

War does not just destroy roads, power lines, and water systems. It rocks the very foundations of modern society. The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine has shown how critical infrastructure is not only a technical matter, but a strategic tool – often targeted, contested, and deeply political.

In cooperation with the BBAW, the event Writing (Hi)Stories brings literature and research into dialogue. The point of departure is Sofi Oksanen’s novel Purge. Together with the Finnish-Estonian writer, we will discuss how memories and identity are shaped and transmitted between generations in Estonia.

In Russia, repression is increasingly targeting identity rather than activism. Experts discuss how persecution, migration, and human rights work are changing in the context of authoritarian tendencies and global discourse.

Recent migration waves from Russia and Belarus have generated new east-west and north-south movement trajectories. The ERDAM network investigates how policies and political changes, such as the rise of the far right or the securitisation of migration, affect emerging diasporic networks and political engagement.

Since Donald Trump's return to the White House, US commitment to Ukraine's future is uncertain. How can Europe compensate for the lack of support? And what are the realistic chances for a just peace? This panel discussion addresses the most pressing issues in current Ukraine policy.

For the first time, ZOiS is a partner of the XI World Congress of the International Council for Central and East European Studies (ICCEES). The conference will explore how disruption is changing research on Eastern Europe and which new approaches and methods are best suited to the major changes of recent years.

Filmmakers Piotr Goldstein and Phaedra Douzina-Bakalaki will present three short films about everyday migrant activism in Poland and then discuss some of the key issues raised by their films.

Who are the Russians fleeing repression and now rebuilding their lives in Germany? A new study sheds light on their backgrounds, aspirations, and paths to integration—and shows how they balance new beginnings with continued civic engagement across borders.