Historian Timothy Snyder, renowned for his insights on 20th-century tyranny, joins Ukrainian poet Oksana Maksymchuk, who poignantly captures the essence of freedom amidst conflict. They delve into what it means to truly thrive, contrasting freedom 'from' oppression with the freedom 'to' engage with life. Oksana shares her poetic reflections born from the violence of war, while Snyder explores the historical complexities of freedom in Ukraine. Their discussion illuminates the vibrant resilience found in art, even in the darkest of times.
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Quick takeaways
Timothy Snyder distinguishes between freedom as absence of oppression and freedom as the capability to thrive, highlighting its collective nature.
Oksana Maksymchuk's poetry reveals how art serves as a vital tool for processing trauma and fostering hope amidst war's devastation.
Deep dives
The Concept of Freedom in Ukraine
The discussion highlights the distinction between freedom as liberation from oppression and freedom as the ability to thrive after such liberation. Historical context is provided through the lens of Ukraine, where newly liberated areas require more than just the absence of occupation; they need a framework for positive living conditions. The emphasis lies in understanding freedom not merely as a reaction to tyranny but as a collective endeavor to rebuild and support individuals in their everyday lives. This perspective challenges the common notion that freedom solely exists in a negative form, prompting a reevaluation of what true freedom entails.
Five Forms of Freedom
The exploration of freedom's complexity is articulated through five identified forms: sovereignty, mobility, unpredictability, factuality, and solidarity. Sovereignty emphasizes the importance of self-governance over one’s own feelings and reactions, while mobility addresses the necessity of both physical and mental movement to experience true freedom. Unpredictability is positioned as a critical characteristic, promoting the idea that freedom involves the capacity to diverge from routine patterns influenced by societal norms or technology. Finally, solidarity reinforces the concept that one's freedom is interconnected with the freedom of others, fostering a community-wide sense of liberty.
The Role of Art in Understanding Atrocity
Art and poetry emerge as significant avenues for processing trauma, particularly in the context of war and social upheaval. Oksana Maximchuk's poetry reflects the emotional landscape shaped by the Russian invasion, using the term 'deoccupied' to denote a shift from mere liberation to the potential for thriving communities. This nuanced perspective underscores the psychological and cultural effects of conflict, suggesting that while the absence of force is essential, the reparative work necessary for communities to flourish is equally important. Artistic expression becomes a tool for capturing the complexities of lived experience and cultivating hope among affected populations.
The Intersection of Church and State
The examination of the Russian Orthodox Church reveals a long-standing co-dependency with the state, where religious leaders like Patriarch Kirill have aligned closely with governmental power, shaping a narrative of freedom that serves political ends. This relationship raises questions about the authenticity of religious freedom within a framework that prioritizes state ideologies over individual agency. Kirill’s stance in the context of the current war illustrates how religious authority can be manipulated to justify state actions and control narratives around sacrifice and morality. As the discussion unfolds, it becomes clear that the definitions of freedom proposed by these religious authorities often reflect broader political agendas rather than genuine spiritual liberation.
The historian Timothy Snyder is famous for his work on the horrors of the 20th century and his call to arms to fight against tyranny in the 21st. Now, in ‘On Freedom’ he explores what liberty really means. He challenges the idea that this is freedom ‘from’ state or other obligations, and explores how across the US, Russia and Ukraine, true liberty is the freedom ‘to’ thrive and take risks.
The Ukrainian poet, Oskana Maksymchuk also considers the question of freedom in her collection, Still City, a book that started as a poetic journal on the eve of the Russian invasion in 2021. The fragmentary poems detail the everyday moments amid the violence and fear and precarity of a country at war.
The Russian Orthodox Church has managed to survive the turbulent history of the country, from tsarist demagoguery to Soviet atheism, and is now free to flourish under Vladimir Putin. But in her new book, The Baton and the Cross, the journalist Lucy Ash reveals how the religion has formed an unholy alliance with politics, state security and big money.
Producer: Katy Hickman
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