Authors

Marnie Howlett¹;  ¹ University of Oxford, UK

Discussion

This paper examines the politicization of Ukraine’s civilian shelters since Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion. Whereas the underground spaces of our daily lives are not generally given much consideration aside from their liminal and instrumental uses, this paper illustrates that they can transform into shelters when significant dangers threaten above, including both manmade and environmental threats. In investigating Ukrainians’ uses of quotidian underground spaces since 24 February 2022 in response to Russia’s aggression, the study underscores that sites not necessarily deliberately fashioned to protect civilians from above ground hazards can become sites of soft power during times of war. As politics is typically studied on a horizontal spatial scale, this analysis of underground shelters accordingly adds to theoretical understandings of the vertical dimension of politics during times of conflict. By doing so, the paper underscores the importance of verticality when analysing socio-political phenomena. In shedding light on often overlooked or ‘buried’ experiences of the Russia-Ukraine war, this paper is also a critical illustration of the grit, resistance, and resilience of ordinary Ukrainian citizens.