A successful forum of Ukrainian sociologists

A difficult but scientifically fruitful 2025 ended with a forum of the country's sociologists that was warmly received by the research community. This was the customary annual event — the 19th Readings in memory of the outstanding Ukrainian sociologist Natalia Panina, on the theme “Metamorphoses of social structure and social mobility during the war”, together with the 14th “Best young sociologist of the year” competition, both organised throughout these years by the Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. Natalia Panina herself spoke in her time of the need for such a competition, but her untimely death prevented her from bringing the idea to life. It was realised soon afterwards by her closest associates Yevhen Golovakha, Volodymyr Paniotto and Mykola Churylov.

In the words of the moderator, Oleksandr Stehnii, Doctor of Sociological Sciences, spoken at this year's Readings: “Those who care about the future of sociology in this country as an academic discipline, with its particular burden of responsibility for the public word, must today become a model of service to scholarship and to society, of keeping a balance between their own research interests and ambitions and their civic position.”

This applies in full measure both to well-known Ukrainian sociologists and to the young researchers who are actively making their mark in the country's scholarship. And that is what the current Readings and the “Best young sociologist of the year” competition showed.

The Readings were opened by the leaders of Ukrainian sociology — the head of the Sociological Association of Ukraine, Academician Vil Bakirov (who invariably travels to them from his native Kharkiv), who delivered a warm address on behalf of the Association, and the Director of the Institute of Sociology of the NAS of Ukraine, Corresponding Member of the NAS of Ukraine Yevhen Golovakha, who stressed that the memory of scholars who have sadly passed away is an important part of the historical memory of scholarship, one that encourages today's researchers to continue the traditions, developing and enriching the ideas of their predecessors.

There were many interesting contributions and fruitful discussions. A substantial paper was presented by Olena Symonchuk (head of the Department of Social Structures of the Institute of Sociology of the NAS of Ukraine) on the theme “The social architecture of Ukraine under war conditions: structural change, inequalities and conflicts”.

A considerable part of the programme of the Readings was given over to the competition entrants. Many participants and winners of this competition in past years have already made their voices heard in scholarship and become sociologists known not only in Ukraine but internationally. In this the idea of the competition has fully justified itself and continues to do so.

Over 2024–2025, in line with the rules, entrants submitted essays covering the themes of the competition's two announcements: “Sociologists during the war: professional challenges, practices and scenarios” (2024) and “Metamorphoses of social structure and social mobility during the war” (2025).

Notable in the submitted works are their thematic variety and the young sociologists' effort to present their material at a high scholarly level, in the context of Ukrainian and world sociology. Yet the theme of the war and the social consequences it has produced remains at the centre of researchers' attention and is heard, in one way or another, in most of the submitted works.

By decision of the distinguished academic jury, the results of the competition are as follows:

First place — Volodymyr Shelukhin (Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv), the essay “Anamnesis in sociology: from memory to knowledge”.

Second place — Ruslan Zaporozhchenko (V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University), the essay “Between stability and uncertainty: the proletariat, the precariat and Ukraine's new reality”.

Third place — Valentyn Hatsko (Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv), the essay “East and West together? Why it is premature to speak of the end of regional differences”.

The laureate of the Iryna Popova prize, established by the Institute of Sociology of the NAS of Ukraine together with the Southern Ukrainian branch of the Sociological Association of Ukraine (headed by Olena Liseienko, Doctor of Sociological Sciences, Professor) and awarded for research with a tangible practical orientation, was also Valentyn Hatsko (Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv).

This forum was a bright exclamation mark in a series of academic events through which the leaders of Ukraine's academic sociology, together with other specialists in the country, once again confirmed that in the difficult and tragic conditions of Russia's total war against Ukraine, Ukrainian scholars carry the banner of science high and successfully overcome every dramatic obstacle on the way to new projects and their results.