On February 18, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. (Kyiv) / 1:00 p.m. (Florida), an online lecture will be held on “Ukrainian witches of the past and present: pop culture, emancipation, or postcolonial thinking?”
The speaker will be Anna Romanova, PhD in Economics, Associate Professor, Researcher at Florida State University (USA), Professor at Kherson State University, and former member of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
The lecture will focus on the phenomenon of Ukrainian witchcraft, fortune telling, and magical rituals-phenomena that have existed since ancient times and have been celebrated by the classics of Ukrainian literature. Special attention will be paid to the transformation of magical thinking in modern society. In particular, the lecture will discuss the growing interest in esoteric topics after the start of the full-scale invasion, the reasons for the popularity of magical practices, and the role of these phenomena among various social groups, including representatives of the elite.
The lecturer will offer a scientific perspective on non-scientific phenomena and attempt to answer the question: what was Ukrainian witchcraft like 200 years ago and how has it changed today? Is the contemporary interest in magic a part of pop culture, a manifestation of emancipation, or a consequence of postcolonial thinking?