When does the “Soviet” end? Archival activism and collaborative anthropology in wartime Ukraine

This study explores the impact of war in Ukraine on religious minority communities and their archives, shedding light on their vulnerability and newfound agency amidst Russia’s military aggression. The archives spotlighted by this research were either relocated, smuggled, destroyed, stolen, or, conversely, opened after several decades of being concealed from outsiders’ eyes. What unites them all is their shared history rooted in the Soviet past–a legacy of suppression, secrecy, and control that continues to shape these religious communities. The ongoing conflict has brought this legacy into sharper relief, exposing shadowy practices and structures, including those within religious life. Against the war’s backdrop of destruction and the “memory wars” fuelling the conflict, archival activism has assumed a new significance. Community archives emerge as contested sites of power, memory, and historical agency, serving both as custodians of silenced counter-memories and as vital tools for community activism. By rescuing their endangered historical legacy and revisiting and revising past narratives, religious communities reclaim agency over their histories and address the wounds of suppression and conflict. This process not only offers a framework for interpreting the present crisis but also serves as a means of healing and a source of resilience.