Decolonizing Ukrainian history focus of international workshop hosted by PCUH

The Prairie Centre for the Study of Ukrainian Culture (PCUH) hosted an international workshop in May, with scholars coming to Saskatoon from as far away as Germany and Ukraine, while others attended online.

The Prairie Workshop: Decolonizing European and Soviet History was organized by Dr. Oksana Dudko, the Petro Jacyk Post-Doctoral Fellow in Ukrainian Studies at PCUH, and it took place May 11-13, 2013.

“Hosting this workshop is yet another way for us to explore topics in Ukrainian and Ukrainian-related studies that are necessary, especially now, as the world is in some ways “waking up” to what Ukraine is and who Ukrainians are,” said Dr. Nadya Foty-Oneschuk, Interim Director of PCUH. “The dialogue created in the next few days will be vital to the continued study of decolonizing this part of the world, and that is something we should all be proud of.”

Dr. Foty-Oneschuk said that as PCUH celebrates its silver anniversary, it is ever-committed to the mission of promoting the advanced study of the many aspects of Ukrainian heritage, culture and life.

“Of course, we celebrate this anniversary and hold these events against a sombre backdrop. As Ukraine endures yet another genocidal attempt at its very existence, creating awareness about Ukraine and honoring the Ukrainian experience in Canada have become ever-more important. For the first time ever, we have students that are part of the fourth and fifth waves of Ukrainian immigration to Canada interested in taking our culture-content courses, as they rediscover and become passionate about their history.” 

“Our work has never been more necessary or meaningful,” she said. “Our efforts have never had a greater impact on the general perception of Ukraine and what it means to be Ukrainian.”