Ukrainian Freedom: Collective Agency in National Defense (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9783838221687)

This book offers a multidisciplinary perspective on the Ukrainian peoples' collective resistance to Russia's full-scale invasion. The chapters examine how diverse sectors of society and ordinary people contribute to national defense and societal resilience beyond the military ecosystem.
The main interconnected themes are: Ukrainian cultural resistance through art and documentary practices; organized actions of civil society that strengthen the country's democratic governance and societal trust in the midst of war; the role of personal identity and historical memory in wartime; and the power of narratives, diaspora engagement, and local action in shaping Ukraine's national survival and international support. Historical and comparative perspectives--recovering World War II resistance literature--add texture to the insights offered in this volume for Europe's security landscape today.
The volume combines case studies, personal testimonies, historical analysis, and policy-oriented research. Its central finding is that Ukraine's resilience stems from its historical experience with nonviolent revolution, coordinated civic action, and moral determination. The collection's key novelty lies in framing unarmed civilian-based defense not as a panacea but merely a blind spot in 21st-century security, with implications for democratic societies confronting hybrid warfare and authoritarian aggression.
The contributors are: Felip Daza Sierra, Oksana Huss, Olha Kapets, Oleksandra Keudel, Mariia Korobkova, Olga Kravets, Andrii Ordynovych, Jamila Raqib, Alain Refalo, Olga Sagaidak, Yan St-Pierre, Yelyzaveta Tarasenko, and Olena Tregub.