Institute of Sociology NASU

“Ukrainian society and sociologists in front of the challenges of war and post-war development”: a short report on the 17th International Sociological Readings in memory of Natalia Panina (1949–2006) and Yurii Yakovenko (1950–2022)

stmm. 2024 (1): 198-200

Full text: https://stmm.in.ua/archive/ukr/2024-1/13.pdf

OLHA MAKSYMENKO, MA in Psychology, Leading Sociologist at the Department of Methodology and Methods of Sociology, Institute of Sociology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (12, Shovkovychna St., Kyiv, 01021); librarian at Pavlo Usenko Library for Children, Centralised Library Management System of Dniprovskyi District of Kyiv (7, Ivana Mykolaichuka St., Kyiv, 02152)

olga.maksimenko.65@gmail.com

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2804-2790

On 10 December, when Human Rights Day is observed, the sociological community of independent Ukraine honours the memory of an outstanding scholar Natalia Panina (1949–2006), whose birth anniversary coincides with this date. An academic event known as International Sociological Readings is held, in which both renowned researchers and young social scientists take part. This tradition has been lasting for 17 years, and no dramatic circumstances have been able to interrupt it; however, they contributed to choosing a topic for the Readings. In 2023, the title of the Sociological Readings was as follows: “Ukrainian society and sociologists in front of the challenges of war and post-war development”. This year’s Readings were also dedicated to the memory of Yurii Yakovenko (1950–2022), a long-serving professor at the Department of Branch Sociology of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. The event was organised jointly by the Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Sociological Association of Ukraine, Natalia Panina Sociological Centre and Kyiv School of Economics (KSE). The latter was used as a venue for the Readings.

The first part of Sociological Readings was arranged as a plenary session. Five keynote presentations were given: “Yurii Yakovenko — 40 years of memories” (Volodymyr Paniotto, National University of “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy”); “Why trust in institutions sometimes rise, sometimes doesn’t” (Tymofii Brik, Kyiv School of Economics); “Ukrainian sociologists in Europe: challenges to the development of social knowledge in conditions of war and forced temporary emigration” (Svitlana Babenko, Malmö Institute for Studies of Migration, Diversity and Welfare, Sweden); “Scientists are under stress. Or aren’t?” (Serhii Dembitskyi, Institute of Sociology of the NAS of Ukraine); “The dilemmas of sociological knowledge production in societies at war: the case of Ukraine” (Viktoriia Sereda, Institute of Ethnology of the NAS of Ukraine, Lviv). Furthermore, the audience got acquainted with new books and periodicals by the Institute of Sociology.

The second part of the Readings consisted of a round-table discussion and presentations of the “Junior Sociologist of the Year” contestants. According to the Contest Jury’s decision, Ruslana Moskotina (Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv) was awarded the top prize. Hanna Kurovska (National Technical University of Ukraine “Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute”) and Inha Kozlova (Ukrainian Catholic University, Lviv) came in second and third. I. Kozlova also won Iryna Popova Prize, which is given to the author of an essay having social and practical significance.

Keywords: Natalia Panina, Yurii Yakovenko, Ukrainian society, methodology of sociological research, the “Junior Sociologist of the Year” contest, Russia–Ukraine war