Experience of Forced Displacement in Sociological Research: Heuristic Challenges for Ukrainian Sociology

Abstract

This article addresses the problem of accounting for the experience of forced displacement of the Ukrainian population in sociological research, a topic made urgent by Russian aggression since 2014. It is emphasized that due to the war, millions of Ukrainians have become internally displaced persons (IDPs), have returned home, or have fled abroad, making this group too significant to remain a «blind spot» in sociology. The author aims to substantiate the need for a systematic understanding of the forced displacement experience not only as a subject of specialized research or a methodological challenge to representativeness, but as a crucial dimension for structuring contemporary Ukrainian society. The author analyzes existing approaches: from targeted studies examining the problems and adaptation of IDPs to strategies of excluding or integrating IDPs in national surveys. The author argues that forced displacement experience is a significant analytical category that can substantially influence research results and their interpretation. Using the «Bullying and Tolerance in Educational Institutions» study as an material, it is demonstrated how controlling for this variable alters the relationship between the region of residence and support for manipulative narratives, revealing deeper social patterns. The article concludes by stressing the necessity of including a question about displacement experience in sociological research for a more accurate analysis of public sentiment and social processes in wartime.