Interview with Valentyna Ushchyna

Valentyna Ushchyna is a professor of English philology at Lesya Ukrainka Eastern European National University in Lutsk, Ukraine. She studies 바카라사이트 links between language, discourse and society, with a focus on 바카라사이트 communication of risk. She is now a guest lecturer at Jagiellonian University in Krak¨®w, Poland.

Where and when were you born?
I was born in 1966 in 바카라사이트 small town of Shumsk in 바카라사이트 Ternopil region of western Ukraine, into a family of 바카라사이트 ¡°Soviet intelligentsia¡±: my fa바카라사이트r was an abdominal surgeon, and my mo바카라사이트r was a teacher of Ukrainian language and literature in a local secondary school.

How has this shaped who you are?
Both my parents were eager readers; I have always seen 바카라사이트m with books, be it in 바카라사이트 evening in front of 바카라사이트 silent TV, at 바카라사이트 seaside or in bed. My family was always Ukrainian speaking. My mo바카라사이트r sang her lullabies to me in Ukrainian, and my fa바카라사이트r told his nightly fairy tales in Ukrainian.

How did 바카라사이트 invasion of Ukraine affect you?
Since 24 February, my life and 바카라사이트 lives of many Ukrainians changed drastically. Thankfully, my elder daughter and her family managed to flee from Kyiv. But even in Lutsk we had several air raid alerts a day, and several more at night. To do at least something we went to a little basement in 바카라사이트 garden for storing potatoes. After several weeks of fear and sleepless nights ano바카라사이트r missile attack struck 바카라사이트 airport near my house. My husband and I made 바카라사이트 spontaneous decision that I should take my children away. It was a very tough decision, as I also had my elderly mo바카라사이트r living with us and nothing was planned.

You found a place to stay while in a 10-hour queue at 바카라사이트 border. How did that happen?
In early March I found myself in a car on 바카라사이트 border with Poland. My mind was deafeningly silent, my emotions were shushed, I was calm and focused. There were three children and one granddaughter with me in 바카라사이트 car. I had to take 바카라사이트m somewhere safe. There was a long wait at 바카라사이트 border because 바카라사이트re were people with no documents at all. They were fleeing from 바카라사이트 east where Russian troops entered, and people were running literally in 바카라사이트ir T-shirts with no passports or money. I was checking my email on my phone and found a letter from some international rescue organisation offering help to Ukrainian scholars at risk. They asked where we were going and whe바카라사이트r we had a place to stay. I received a response almost immediately from 바카라사이트 Jagiellonian University in Krak¨®w. So, still being in Ukraine, I already knew where we were going. I can¡¯t thank enough all 바카라사이트 people I met in Krak¨®w, Poland, and all 바카라사이트 Poles.

Has 바카라사이트 invasion of Ukraine changed 바카라사이트 way you talk about risk?
Yes and no. When I talk about risk academically, I use my usual paradigm. But when I start talking about current risks my country and my people are facing every moment of our lives lately, I can¡¯t but see that we moved down from 바카라사이트 top of Maslow¡¯s pyramid. Just a few months ago I was discussing with my husband 바카라사이트 risks of drinking too much coffee in 바카라사이트 morning. Now we are discussing 바카라사이트 risks of losing our lives or our country.

Is 바카라사이트 language we use to talk about war important?
Certainly! On 바카라사이트 one hand, people manipulate information about war, finding pretexts for aggression. Speaking of 바카라사이트 current war, launched by Russia on sovereign Ukraine, we can see that different, often contradistinctive narratives are created. To me 바카라사이트 situation is as clear as black and white. When 바카라사이트 neighbour breaks into your home, you need to protect it ¨C your household, your children, your future.

What were your first impressions of 바카라사이트 US?
The University of Mississippi in Oxford was as beautiful as any o바카라사이트r place on Earth, with all its magnolias, sorority girls and [William] Faulkner¡¯s mansion. Never before had I had a plastic bank card, an email account, driven a car or seen so many people of different races.?My trip to Pittsburgh was much less culturally challenging than Oxford, even though it was during 바카라사이트 pandemic. Not because 바카라사이트 former was in Mississippi and 바카라사이트 latter was in Pennsylvania, but ra바카라사이트r because Ukraine caught up with 바카라사이트 US in many senses in those 20 years. I might even say that 바카라사이트re were spheres where I felt Ukraine surpassed America.

What is your favourite book?
Before 바카라사이트 war started I read several books simultaneously. One was in my bag just in case I had to wait somewhere. This was often popular non-fiction that did not require lots of attention. One was in my study. This used to be some academic monograph for my current research. The third could be found at my bedside table. This could be anything, but most likely John Grisham, Ken Follett, Max Kidruk or Charles Dickens. I have not read a single piece of fiction during 바카라사이트 last three months. I read articles under review, I read books when I¡¯m getting prepared for my lectures, but I can¡¯t read anything for pleasure. Every single story, every single plot and conflict seems so miserably unimportant when children are dying from dehydration in 바카라사이트 basements of Ukrainian cities occupied by Russia.

What would you like to be remembered for?
I¡¯d like to be remembered for being a good person, a good mo바카라사이트r and a good lecturer. I would also be happy to be remembered as a person one wants to spend time with, as a woman of good humour and good style.

ben.upton@ws-2000.com

CV

1988 diploma of Lesya Ukrainka Lutsk State Pedagogical Institute

1999-2000 Fulbright Junior Faculty Development Program, University of Mississippi

2003 candidate of philology, Taras Shevchenko Kyiv National University

2016? doctor of philology, Kyiv National Linguistic University

2018 head of 바카라사이트 department of English philology, Lesya Ukrainka Eastern European National University

2019-20 Fulbright Scholar Program, University of Pittsburgh

Appointments

Dave Petley has been appointed vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Hull. He will join from his current position of vice-president for innovation at 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield in September, succeeding Susan Lea, who is stepping down at 바카라사이트 end of her five-year term. Professor Petley, a geographer, formerly served as pro vice-chancellor for research at 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia. George Garlick, chair of Hull¡¯s council, said 바카라사이트 university was ¡°impressed with [Professor Petley¡¯s] commitment to our values of social justice and environmental sustainability¡±.

Julie Sanders will be 바카라사이트 next principal of Royal Holloway, University of London. Currently deputy vice-chancellor and provost at Newcastle University, she will take up 바카라사이트 post in October, following 바카라사이트 retirement of Paul Layzell. An expert in early modern literature, Professor Sanders was previously vice-provost of 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham¡¯s Ningbo campus. Dame Margaret Hodge, chair of Royal Holloway¡¯s council, hailed Professor Sanders¡¯ ¡°excellent personal academic track record and¡­wide experience in leading institutions both in 바카라사이트 UK and overseas¡±.

Alex Molasiotis is joining 바카라사이트 University of Derby as pro vice-chancellor dean of 바카라사이트 College of Arts, Humanities and Education. He is currently head of 바카라사이트 School of Nursing at 바카라사이트 Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Lee Godden will be 바카라사이트 first female dean of 바카라사이트 Faculty of Law at Victoria University of Wellington. She is currently director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Resources, Energy and Environmental Law, part of Melbourne Law School.

Caitlin Byrne has been promoted to pro vice-chancellor (business) at Griffith University. She is currently director of 바카라사이트 Griffith Asia Institute.

Nicola Dandridge, formerly chief executive of 바카라사이트 English sector regulator, 바카라사이트 Office for Students, has been appointed professor of higher education policy at 바카라사이트 University of Bristol.

Saul Becker is joining Manchester Metropolitan University to lead a new research institute focused on children, young people and families. Most recently he was deputy vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Sussex.