Public talk: "Russia's Invasion of Ukraine: The Human Cost, Refugee Crisis, and Migration Challenges (Case Study: Germany)"

25 November 2024, 16:15 CET, online via Zoom

Assoc. Prof. Medea Badashvili, Iv. Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Georgia
The talk is open to the public. Please use the form below to register.

Abstract: The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 set off a geopolitical crisis with far-reaching consequences, sparking a humanitarian emergency across Europe. With over 8 million Ukrainians seeking refuge, the majority of them women and children, the realities of forced displacement have left profound marks on individuals and communities. This presentation delves into qualitative research conducted among Ukrainian refugees in Germany, particularly women-led households, and examines how displacement reshapes family dynamics, identity, and cultural integration.
This exploration holds personal resonance for me as a Georgian scholar who witnessed similar turmoil during the 2008 conflict between Georgia and Russia. By drawing parallels, I aim to uncover how displacement disrupts lives yet catalyzes resilience, reconfiguring social, civil, and cultural identities in new settings. The narratives collected provide rich insights into the diverse challenges refugees face as they navigate integration, balancing the maintenance of cultural identity with the pressures to adapt within a new social landscape.
The moral imperatives around refugee resettlement—as articulated by scholars like Michael Walzer—contrast with the experiences of immigrants, underlining the immediate peril faced by those fleeing conflict. The trauma, losses, and cultural assets carried by refugees underscore the need for nuanced understandings of identity formation and social integration. Refugees are often compelled to negotiate multiple identities, shifting between cultural retention and adaptation strategies (Berry, 2001). Their journeys reveal the importance of language, cultural openness, and societal tolerance in fostering a sense of belonging.
Through an interdisciplinary lens, this presentation seeks to illuminate the socio-cultural pathways by which refugees rebuild their lives, shedding light on the interactions that foster or hinder successful adaptation. By exploring both personal and collective identities as they evolve within host countries, we gain insights into the complex process of social integration, where power dynamics and family structures are continually redefined in the face of profound change.

Dr. Medea Badashvili is DAAD fellow at CeMig from July to November 2024. She serves as an Associate Professor at Iv. Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Georgia, where she also heads the Master Program in Gender Studies. Holding a PhD in Human Geography, BA and MA in Socio-Economic and Political Geography, her research interests encompass a wide array of topics, including labor migration, refugee flows, gender equality, domestic violence, women’s economic and political empowerment. Her extensive teaching portfolio covers the courses on gender and migration, feminist theory, global health politics, agency, gender in Eastern European and post-soviet countries and many others.

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