The war in Ukraine had profound impacts on civilians that shaped anthropological research. As the conflict escalated, everyday life took on new complexities as people strategically navigated the changing circumstances. Concepts like "everyday war" emerged to capture civilians' deliberate yet varied participation in and mitigation of the violence through preserving select social connections.
Ethnographic fieldwork provided a means to understand civilians' agency beyond simplified narratives of victimhood. Through participant observation and empathetic listening without probing trauma, researchers gained nuanced insights into how the war impacted interpersonal relationships and identities in local communities. Identities became fluid and contextual as politicization levels shifted with one's environment over time.
Challenges also arose in conducting sensitive research in active war zones. Prioritizing civilians' well-being meant moving beyond direct questioning to allow embodied experiences and chosen topics of discussion to reveal lived realities. The work highlighted civilians' central yet overlooked roles and the "invisible wounds" of conflict between geopolitical and individual trauma. It offers lessons for more holistic, relationally-focused approaches to post-war recovery and rebuilding.
In this video you will be able to learn:
- How civilians strategically navigate conflict through their interpersonal relationships and actions, as explored through concepts like "everyday war" and "everyday peace".
- How ethnographic research can provide nuanced perspectives on civilians' experiences of war that get obscured by other narratives focused on state politics and violence.
- How war impacts civilians' identities and relationships in local communities as social and political contexts shift over time.
- Lessons on conducting ethical fieldwork in active war zones through prioritizing civilians' well-being and gaining insights from embodied experiences.
- The value of anthropological research for challenging assumptions about civilians' roles and gaining a deeper understanding of the "invisible wounds" of conflict.
- Insights into more holistic, relationally-focused approaches to post-war recovery that acknowledge civilians' agency and perspectives.
Key Topics of this Podcast:
0:04:20 - Discussion of the concept of "everyday war" and how it challenges assumptions about civilian life stopping during conflict
0:11:21 - Choosing the title "Everyday War" to examine civilian life at a deeper level
0:15:21 - Story of "eager" and how war impacted his interpersonal relationships
0:18:34 - Exploring how politics shaped whether civilians maintained connections
0:23:59 - Lessons on conducting ethical fieldwork like prioritizing anonymity
0:31:45 - Story of "Pasha" finding community support after displacement
0:36:12 - Role of "everyday peace" in mitigating conflict through preserving relationships
0:41:24 - Discussion of how war impacts interpersonal relationships
0:49:44 - Discussion of challenges of fieldwork in conflict zones
0:56:19 - Discussion of civilians as central to how wars unfold
1:00:45 - Example of collective, nature-based approaches to conflict recovery
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