Oral History Project “‘Moving West’: Ukrainian Academics in Conditions of Forced Migration (2014–2024)”: Issues of Research Methodology

Abstract

The article seeks to problematize certain methodological aspects of the oral history project “‘Moving West’: Ukrainian Academics in Conditions of Forced Migration (2014- 2024)”. The project is concerned with the forced migration of Ukrainian academics (internal after 2014 and external, to other European countries, since the start of the fullscale Russian invasion), as well as with the European academic community’s response to this process. In particular, the article discusses the social and historiographical contexts of the study, which form a kind of research ‘ framework’ that is not stable and in turn creates shifting spatial, temporal, and personal boundaries and exacerbates ethical problems. Analysis of the geographical and chronological compass of the project and composition of the respondents helps to more clearly define an ‘academic migrant’ and the key features of the ‘westward movement’, outline the main stages of the project’s progress, and trace changes in the organization of research throughout its duration. The situation is complicated by the fact that the project focuses on an ongoing event; in addition to the traditional challenges of oral history, new ones must addressed all the time. In searching for respondents, the authors of the project chose the ‘snowball’ method, which helps to find people who are ready to communicate. The semi-structured interview is also used, which provides opportunities for further comparison and at the same time allows respondents to feel as free as possible, choosing a format of self-presentation that is convenient for them. The nature of the subject group makes it possible to include respondents in the study at every stage (familiarization with the project, the interviewing and transcription process, and, if desired, analysis and evaluation of the research results). The respondents can thus be seen as true co-authors. This greatly facilitates the interpretation of the source, including transcription of the interviews, which follows a rather demanding set of rules. Finally, the decision to space interviews over a long period of time and re-interview participants at a later date is important. It is already possible to speak of certain trends in forced intellectual migration and of the typicality or uniqueness of strategies chosen by migrants to build academic careers in extraordinary circumstances.