Urban Studies in Ukraine: Changes, Challenges, and Collaboration
In this IN-PERSON ONLY talk, Dr Tetiana Vodotyka traces the development of urban studies in Ukraine, examining both the history of the field and the intellectual and institutional roots of urban knowledge production.
She will explore how Soviet academic legacies, educational traditions, regional research centres, civil society organisations, and post-2014 reforms have shaped what is studied, taught, and understood about Ukrainian cities.
The talk then considers how Ukrainian urban studies have evolved under the combined pressures of decentralisation, demographic change, institutional reform, and Russia’s ongoing war. It discusses the growing demand for urban recovery expertise alongside displacement, limited institutional resources, data gaps, inequality, and declining research and municipal capacities.
Dr Vodotyka will reflect on the role of universities in educating new professionals, producing locally grounded knowledge, and connecting research with the practical needs of communities.
When: Wednesday 30th September 2026 (IN-PERSON ONLY)
Where: room Teaching Room 1, Geography and Planning Building
When: 1500-1630
Biography