We Are War: On Bearing Witness and Sharing Pain

In her talk, Olesya Khromeychuk explores the ways in which war transforms language, literature, and those who bear witness. Analysing the case of Ukraine, and specifically Victoria Amelina’s work, and situating it in the wider discussions of the act of witnessing and representation of pain, she argues that war literature, fractured and incomplete, is not just a record of destruction but also a vital vehicle in the pursuit of justice. As such, it ensures that testimony—no matter how fragmented—continues to speak for those silenced and brings those unaffected by war in communion with those who live it.

This talk will be followed by a reception and book signing.

Bio

Dr Olesya Khromeychuk is a historian and writer. She is the author of The Death of a Soldier Told by His Sister (2022). Khromeychuk has written for The New York Times, The New York Review of Books, The Guardian, Der Spiegel,…