Philosophy in Action: Special Issue on the Russia-Ukraine War Gains Global Recognition

In September 2024, the Philosophy Department launched a special issue of Studia Philosophica Estonica on the Russia-Ukraine War, edited by Aaron James Wendland. The issue aimed to deepen ​our moral, cultural, and political understanding of the conflict while ​simultaneously keeping ​the war in ​international headlines.

We are thrilled that this public philosophy project has been featured in over 25 news outlets worldwide, including the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Kyiv Independent, UkraineWorld, Postimees, Eesti Rahvusringhääling, Eesti Ekspress, SIRP, Õhtuleht, Vikerkaar, Niin & Näin, The Philosophical Salon, The Philosopher's Zone, Daily Nous, Public Seminar, Justice Everywhere, IAI.TV, the APA Blog, and more. 

While expressing gratitude to the contributors and the media for highlighting one of the era’s most critical ideological struggles, A.J. Wendland, editor of the issue and Vision Fellow in Public Philosophy at King’s College London, remarked: “A special issue of philosophy is no air-defense system​. But as Plato suggested, justice comes when everyone uses their unique skills for society’s benefit”.

Watch and read further: The video recording of the Studia Philosophica Estonica special issue presentation, featuring Jeff McMahan's public lecture on September 5, 2024.

• ABC Radio National. Podcast Nationalism and immigration. Presenter David Rutledge. Guest Jonathan Wolff.  
   
• Kyiv Independent. Thinking about freedom in wartime Ukraine by Timothy Snyder. 
   
• UkrainianWorld
  • Thinking in Dark Times: Life, Death, and Social Solidarity by Aaron James Wendland and Volodymyr Yermolenko. 
  • Thinking About Freedom in Wartime Ukraine by Snyder and Wendland. 
  •  Utopia, Dystopia, and Democracy: Teaching Philosophy in Wartime Ukraine — With Orysya Bila and Joshua Duclos.
• UkrainianWorld Podcast: Is this war just or unjust? - with Jeff McMahan. Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko.
   
• The Philosophical Salon.  Edited by Michael Marder.
  • Thinking about freedom in wartime Ukraine by Timothy Snyder.
  • The Antinomies of The Russia-Ukraine War and Its Challenges to Feminist Theory. Irina Zherebkina. 
     
• Daily Nous. Academic Philosophy on „Contingent Current Affairs” by Justin Weinberg. 
   
• Public Seminar.org
  • Thinking About Freedom in Wartime Ukraine. The philosophical implications of Zelensky’s decision to stay in Kyiv. Timothy Snyder. 
  • Thinking in Dark Times: Life, Death, and Social Solidarity. Living through war can transform how we engage with philosophy. Volodymyr Yermolenko, Aaron Wendland. 
  • Academic Dialogue Against the Background of War. There are currently no conversation partners for Western academics within the Russian academy. Nataliia Viatkina. 
  • To Cancel or Not to Cancel? Questioning the Russian Idea. George Pattison.
  • The Sword Is Mightier Than the Pen. An interview with Margaret Atwood, Margaret Atwood, Aaron James Wendland.
     
• justice-everywhere.org. This blog explores issues of justice, morality, and ethics in all areas of public, political, social, economic, and personal life. It is run by a cooperative of political theorists and philosophers and in collaboration with the Journal of Applied Philosophy.
  • Beyond the Ivory Tower Interview with Aaron James Wendland. by Costanza Porro.
  • Thinking About Freedom in Wartime Ukraine by admin, T. Snyder.
  • Just War Theory and The Russia-Ukraine War by admin, J. McMahan.
  • Thinking in Dark Times: Life, Death, and Social Solidarity by admin, V. Yermolonko. 
  • Against the Odds: Defending Defensive Wars by admin, Gerald Lang. 
  • Putin’s Use and Abuse of History as a Political Weapon by admin, Cynthia R. Nielsen. 
  • To Cancel or Not to Cancel? – Questioning the Russian Idea by admin, George Pattison. 
  • Academic Dialogue Against the Background of War by admin, Dr Nataliia Viatkina.
     
• iAi TV News
  • Margaret Atwood: A sword is mightier than the pen by M. Atwood and A. J. Wendland. 
  • We can't just blame Putin for Russia's crimes, The Ethics of Killing in the Russia-Ukraine War. Jeff McMahan, Aaron James Wendland. 
     
• The American Philosophical Association (APA) blog
  • Philosophy and Current Affairs: The Russia-Ukraine War by A. J. Wendland. 
  • Thinking in Dark Times: Life, Death, and Social Solidarity. Volodymyr Yermolenko, Aaron Wendland. 
  • Thinking About Freedom in Wartime Ukraine. Timothy Snyder, Aaron Wendland. 
  • Just War Theory and The Russia-Ukraine War by Jeff McMahan. 
  • Against the Odds: Defending Defensive Wars by Gerald Lang. 

Estonian media:

• 30.08. SIRP. Tapmise eetika Vene-Ukraina sõjas A. J. Wendlandi intervjuu Jeff Macmahaniga. 
   
• 31.08. Postimees. AK Fookus. Mõõk on sulest tugevam: intervjuu Margaret Atwoodiga.
   
• 04.09 Tartu Postimees. Oxfordi ülikooli professor Jeff McMahan peab loengu õiglasest sõjast. 
   
• 5.09. Vikeraadio kultuuriuudiste kajastus kogumiku ilumisest ja sisust (al 4. min), kommenteeris Toomas Lott - Studia Philosophica Estonica toimetaja.
    
• 12.09 ERR Novaator Filosoof: filosoofiaga maailma muutmiseks peavad teised sellest aru saama. A. Reimann, intervjuu põhjal A. J Wendlandiga.
   
• 16.09 Kuku Kuue samba taga. Mida arvavad mitme maa filosoofide Vene-Ukraina sõjast. Toomas Lott teeb kokkuvõtte ajakirjast saatejuht Madis Ligile. 
   
• 17.09 Õhtuleht ÕIGLASE SÕJA TEOORIA | Moraalifilosoof Jeff McMahan: mõnikord võib süütute inimeste kahjustamine olla lubatud, kui see teeb vähem kurja. Kätri Kiilberg.
   
• 26.09 Eesti Ekspress. Areen. Tsiviilisikud kannavad sõdades vastutust, aga nende karistus peaks olema minimaalne. Filosoof Aaron James Wendland kõneleb Peeter Kormašoviga Ukraina-Venemaa sõja valguses rahvusliku süü küsimustes sõjas.
   
• 2.10 Õhtuleht: KANADAST UKRAINASSE RINDELE | Filosoof Aaron James Wendland: vabaduse mõiste, mida vaid akadeemikuna olin uurinud, sai eesliinil palju selgemaks. Kätri Kiilberg 
   
• Vikerkaar, oktoober 2024:
  • Toimetajalt: Filosoofia sõja ajal. 
  • Mõeldes vabadusest sõjaaegses Ukrainas, Timothy Snyder.
  • Mõtelda pimedatel aegadel. Elu, surm ja sotsiaalne solidaarsus. Volodõmõr Jermolenko. 
  • Taskuvikerkaar 38, november 2024: Toomas Lott õiglasest sõjast ja Ukrainast. 
     
• Universitas Taetuensis. November 2024, nr 5. 
  • Kas ebaõiglases sõjas osalemine on õigustatav? Jeff McMahani ja Pärtel Piirimäe vestlus. 
  • Filosoofiaajakirjast, mis lööb laineid. Tiia Kõnnusaar. Intervjuu Aaron James Wendlandiga.