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Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Sophia Wilson, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Political Science and president of the American Association for Ukrainian Studies, was a featured speaker at the Harvard Ukrainian Summer Institute’s (HURI) Public Lecture Series on Wednesday, July 26. Wilson spoke of her forthcoming book “Maidan: Ukraine’s Democratic Revolution”.

“Despite the attention Ukraine has received since the full-scale Russian invasion, the Ukrainian pro-democratic revolution of 2013-14 remains understudied and misunderstood,” explained Wilson. “I hope the attendees of my lecture saw that these events were far more than just protests, but a true revolution: a mass grassroots movement, which successfully prevented the consolidation of an authoritarian regime in Ukraine.”

Wilson strives to further understand the effects of social beliefs and actions on the state. Studying the Ukrainian Maidan Revolution was fascinating to her as she looked further in how the society fought for democracy and challenged state repression through first-person accounts of individuals who risked their lives for the preservation of a democratic society.

Wilson began her book several years ago when she was a fellow at HURI. It was a full-circle moment for Wilson to go back to HURI and present her discussion involving the research she first started there.

“HURI’s lectures bring scholars of Ukraine from around the world to provide unique and in-depth discussions of issues pertaining to Ukraine,” Wilson added. "It was great to interact with students who are deeply invested in learning about Ukraine, and the larger Harvard community, about the topic of my years-long research."

For more information about the lecture series visit huri.harvard.edu/event/wilson-husi-2023

Photo: SIUE’s Sophia Wilson, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Political Science.