Halyna Herasym

The dominant tropes of remembrance and grief for the figure of the soldier typically present a picture that leaves little room for imagination: in the majority of Western countries the fallen are publicly remembered as young, strong, and masculine figures, and the act of remembrance is generally co-opted by the state. Throughout Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, however, this perception has been challenged by access to the internet, the nature of the war and the social characteristics of the people who are involved in hostilities, and the narratives of grief as presented online. This project asks whether closer study of the stories of grief shared online for members of the Ukrainian military who have been killed in action could challenge views on the figure of the soldier. It also offers an opportunity to take a more nuanced look at the prevailing discourse on the relationships between combatants and civilians.