Comparative analysis: Social media activism in Ukraine and 2020 Karabakh wars

This podcast was produced by Lamiya Adilgizi as a final project for Dr. Emily Channell-Justice's course during the 2022 Harvard Ukrainian Summer Institute.

Podcast record time: Aug. 1, 2022, 19.00 CET, Berlin


Throughout the 65 min talk, we took the chance to compare the social media activism during the Ukraine and the recent Nagorno-Karabakh war in 2020 and came to a conclusion that in both conflicts social media was extensively used as an online battleground for the creation of the sides’ national narrative. Amidst all those bubble of fake news and images and lack of media literacy, hurt mentality and nationalistic sentiments added intensively to the detachment between the fighting sides rather than helping them come together. Therefore, most probably, the speakers are pessimistic about the future of a real peace in the region. Ukraine seems off the peace and Armenians and Azerbaijanis are far from peace, rather “a function co-existence” might be tried in Nagorno-Karabakh, the experts concluded.

The discussion was held with three experts from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Ukraine: 

Margarita Tadevosyan, Ph.D. - a Research Assistant Professor and post-Doctoral research fellow at Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution. She is a scholar-practitioner of conflict resolution with over a decade of experience of convening and facilitating Track II dialogue projects in the South Caucasus. Her primary area of research interest is locally-led peacemaking and peacebuilding work, with a particular emphasis on relationships developed between local actors and international organizations. Dr. Tadevosyan has worked in the post-Soviet space, in particular in the South Caucasus, engaging with Armenian-Azerbaijani, Armenian-Turkish, and Georgian-South Ossetian conflict contexts. She received her PhD from George Mason University’s Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution in 2019. She also holds Masters Degrees in Peace Operations Policy (2010) and Conflict Resolution (2008), as well as Certificate in Peace Research from University of Oslo (2010).  

Arzu Geybullayeva - Azerbaijani columnist and writer, with a special focus on digital authoritarianism and its implications on human rights and press freedom. Arzu has written for Al Jazeera, Eurasianet, CODA, Open Democracy, and Radio Free Europe, with a byline on CNN International. She is also a regional editor for South Caucasus and Turkey at Global Voices. In 2019, Arzu launched Azerbaijan Internet Watch, a platform that documents, and monitors information controls in Azerbaijan. Since 2015, she has been involved in various projects focusing on the safety of women journalists online. Arzu is based in Istanbul from where she continues her journalism work as well as her engagement in projects that continue to focus on the safety of women journalists online, platform accountability, and transparency.

Olena Dub - a Ukrainian journalist and social media specialist, who had to flee Ukraine due to the ongoing war. Having worked with local as well as various international media organizations such as Reuters Foundation and Internews etc. Olena has been responsible for years for the social media projects at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, particularly leading the social media department at the radio’s media-project "Crimea.Realities". For the time being Olena is based in Poland and works as a social media editor at Human Rights Center ZMINA.

"Comparative analysis: Social media activism in Ukraine and 2020 Karabakh wars"

In the flagship episode of the podcast series for the book "Survival as Victory: Ukrainian Women in the Gulag" by Oksana Kis, Naina Misra, and Vlad Nekhoroshykh introduce the first chapter: "The Daily Life of Women in the Gulag in Research and Personal Memoirs." They explore the harsh conditions faced by Ukrainian women imprisoned in the Soviet Gulags from the 1930s until the 1950s, and how these women built communities, maintained hope, and preserved their identities despite unimaginable hardship. This episode introduces the challenges they faced, the effort that went into documenting these experiences, and the importance of remembering and honoring their retellings as part of Ukraine’s historical and cultural legacy.

"Survival as Victory" Podcast — Episode 1

Hosts Naina Misra and Vlad Nekhoroshykh delve into Chapter 2 of Survival as Victory, "Living Conditions in the Prisons and Camps in the 1940s and 1950s," examining the harrowing living conditions faced by prisoners of the Soviet Gulags. Through powerful testimonies from survivors and detailed historical analysis, this episode provides insight into the brutal realities of overcrowded barracks, extreme weather, starvation, disease, and forced labor, highlighting the superhuman resilience, resourcefulness, and solidarity that Ukrainian women utilized to survive.

"Survival as Victory" Podcast — Episode 2

Naina Misra and Vlad Nekhoroshykh discuss Chapter 3 of Survival as Victory, "National Identity and Christian Faith During Imprisonment," examining the ways in which women preserved their Ukrainian identity and Christian faith during their time in the Gulags, and how this served as a form of resistance against Soviet rule. Also discussed are the power of ethnic solidarity, religious practices, and the deep emotional bonds that sustained the women through decades in the prison. Through stories of exchanging secret letters to holding hidden church services, these experiences highlight resilience, inner power, and the enduring human spirit.

"Survival as Victory" Podcast — Episode 3

In the 4th Chapter of Survival as Victory: Ukrainian Women in the Gulag, "Creativity and Free Time," Misra and Nekhoroshykh explore how Ukrainian women used their creativity as a form of resilience and cultural preservation. During their time in the Gulags, the women engaged in forms of artistry, including embroidering, singing, poetry, and theatre, to hold onto their identities, uplift each other, and preserve their mental health. These acts were defiant, even risky, but served as an important way to foster community among the women and maintain the hope that they would one day be free. Through these methods, the women stood fast against the Soviet oppressors and transformed their free time into a space of healing.

"Survival as Victory" Podcast — Episode 4

In Chapter 5 of Survival as Victory, "Humanity and Femininity in Captivity," the HURI Podcast explores the brutal tactics used in Soviet labor camps and how the Ukrainian women were able to face this ordeal. Prisoners were stripped of their identities, reduced to numbers, and subjected to physical and psychological torture. Despite these inhumane conditions, the women developed a unique sisterhood. After their release, many of these women continued to help each other for decades through the lifelong friendships and support networks they had formed. This chapter showcases the prisoners’ determination to preserve not just their lives, but their humanity.

"Survival as Victory" Podcast — Episode 5

Misra and Nekhoroshykh discuss Chapter 6, "Body, Sexuality, and Love" from Survival as Victory. Despite facing violence, hunger, and a consistent violation of their human rights, women used small acts of self-care and compassion to preserve their dignity and resist oppression within the Gulags. Oksana Kis highlights the complex dynamics of intimacy in the camps, which ranged from exploitation by those in power to genuine relationships of those imprisoned, and shows how love can serve as the ultimate drive to survive. Through survivor testimonies and firsthand accounts, this chapter delineates how pure human connection can arise and provide hope even during the darkest of times. 

"Survival as Victory" Podcast — Episode 6

In the final episode, we dive into Chapter 7: Motherhood Behind Bars. Through heart-wrenching survivor testimonies, Misra and Nekhoroshykh explore how women in the Gulags navigated pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood. Stories of mothers separated from their children, babies lost to orphanages, and the physical and emotional toll of raising children in the camps highlight their experiences of loss and resilience. However, maternal love evolved into a new form of resistance, and Kis reframes survival not just as endurance, but the ability to preserve identity, humanity, and hope. This chapter serves as a tribute to these women’s strength and a reminder of how such struggles are faced even today by mothers living in conflict zones, such as those in modern-day Ukraine. Thank you for joining us on this journey through Survival as Victory, a powerful reminder of how resilience, resistance, and everyday acts of courage shaped women's fight to not only survive, but reclaim their humanity among the harsh conditions of the Soviet Gulags.

"Survival as Victory" Podcast — Episode 7

Oxana Shevel USG 030220

Founded in June 1973, the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute (HURI) serves as a focal point for graduate and undergraduate students, fellows, and associates pursuing research in Ukrainian language, literature, and history as well as in anthropology, archaeology, art history, economics, political science, sociology, theology, and other disciplines. 