Capturing the Political Moment: Collecting and Researching Ukrainian Ephemera

• In Event: Ephemera and Scavenger History, or the Struggles of Feeding Cultural Memory from History’s Waste Baskets

Abstract

This presentation explores the research value of Ukrainian election and protest ephemera from the late Soviet period to the present, highlighting their significance as primary sources for interpreting Ukraine’s evolving political landscape and broader societal and cultural shifts. While these materials offer unique opportunities for research and instruction, their preservation, organization, and accessibility present ongoing challenges for librarians and archivists. This talk will examine the role of ephemera in political memory, discuss strategies for managing such collections, and reflect on the complexities of documenting Ukraine’s dynamic history through ephemeral materials.

Author

• Olha Aleksic, Harvard U