Resource person: Audra Bullard - office@clehighlands.com

Description:

This talk will provide an update on the latest developments in the Ukraine War which began with Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Beginning with a historical overview of Russian-Ukrainian relations since the collapse of the USSR, this talk will take participants on a deep dive into the changing dynamics of the war, the role of technology, and how the military landscape has shifted. Analyzing the devastating effects on civilians, the displacement of over three million Ukrainians, and the resilience of those caught in the conflict, we will investigate the social and political dimensions of the conflict. We will also pay particular attention to its religious dimensions, and particularly the role of the recognition of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church as an independent entity from Moscow by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople in 2019, as a driver of the conflict and motivating factor for the Putin regime in prolonging the war. We will underscore the importance of understanding the international response, from sanctions to alliances, and how the war has disrupted global markets. Participants will also take a look at how the war is reshaping national identities and the long-term psychological toll on both Ukraine and Russia.

Eren Tasar is Director of Graduate Studies and Associate Professor in the History Department at UNC Chapel Hill, where he has taught since 2013. His interests are the religious and social history of Soviet Central Asia. Tasar’s first book, Soviet and Muslim: the Institutionalism of Islam in Central Asia, examined Soviet policies toward Islamic institutions. His 24 lecture video series about the history of Central Asia since ancient times for The Great Courses was released in January 2025. Tasar has two forthcoming books, Muslim Atheism in Central Asia, which is under review with the Austrian Academy of Sciences Press, and Central Asia from Antiquity to the Present, which is under contract with Oxford University Press.

Notes: Cancellation Policy Please let us know immediately if you are unable to attend a class. There is no refund for cancellations within two (2) weeks prior to a scheduled class. Programs that include food, beverage or art materials must be canceled within three (3) weeks prior to receive a refund. CLE reserves the right to cancel a program if the minimum enrollment has not been met or for circumstances beyond our control, and participants will be notified, a complete refund will be issued. All classes are held in the CLE Lecture Hall at the Peggy Crosby Center unless otherwise noted. In the event information has changed from the published brochure, it will be posted on our website and in our e-blasts. Addresses for “private home” venues will be provided to registrants within 2 days of the program date.

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