Congress of the Sociological Association of Ukraine “Society and Sociology in an Exponential World: Research Challenges, Opportunities, Prospects”

On 20 November 2025, V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University hosted the opening of the 5th Congress of the Sociological Association of Ukraine, titled “Society and Sociology in an Exponential World: Research Challenges, Opportunities, Prospects.” The event brought together leading Ukrainian and international scholars, experts, and researchers, gathering several hundred participants in a mixed format.

The Congress was opened by the President of the Sociological Association of Ukraine, Adviser to the Rector of Karazin University, Academician Vil Bakirov, who emphasized the uniqueness of the moment: today, Ukrainian sociology operates under conditions of unprecedented transformations, setting scientific benchmarks for a society living under the pressure of exponential change. Welcoming remarks were also delivered by the President of the International Sociological Association Geoffrey Pleyers, the President of the European Sociological Association Kaja Gadowska, Karazin University Vice-Rector Anton Panteleimonov, Director of the Educational and Research Institute of Sociology and Media Communications Olena Muradian, as well as the heads of sociological associations of Lithuania and Moldova and representatives of the University of Warsaw, who highlighted the importance of international support and scientific cooperation.

Plenary Sessions and Key Themes

The first day of the Congress featured a plenary address by the President of the International Sociological Association Geoffrey Pleyers on the role of sociology “in times of trials,” and a presentation by the President of the European Sociological Association Kaja Gadowska on democratic backsliding and the global decline of academic freedom. Participants also discussed the phenomenon of Ukrainian resilience and the conceptual dimensions of exponential development. Susann Worschech presented a report on Ukrainian studies in Germany and the activities of the KIU network.

Throughout the second day, Congress participants focused on the impact of the war on Ukrainian society. Leading scholars — including Volodymyr Paniotto, Yevhen Holovakha, Fedir Shandor, Edwin Bendyk, and Oleksii Antypovych — examined social transformations, new forms of stress, military shifts and risks, as well as mechanisms of democratic resilience to disinformation and the work of sociologists during wartime.

Section Work

Over two days, the work of 31 thematic sections and round tables continued, addressing a wide range of issues, including:

• sociological methods in wartime;

• the phenomenon of national resilience;

• the social structure of contemporary society;

• ethnicity and identity;

• models of solidarity;

• archetypal dimensions of social institutions.

Researchers from universities in Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, Moldova, Germany, South Korea, Japan, France, Norway, Sweden, and the United States presented the results of cutting-edge studies shaping the intellectual foundation for understanding the future of Ukrainian and global societies.

It is worth noting that all five Congresses of the Sociological Association of Ukraine have been held at Karazin University, underscoring its role as a national center for the development of sociology and interdisciplinary research. The event concluded with presentations of new sociological publications and international research projects ESS and ISSP.