Thinking in Dark Times

What misconceptions do we have about the 20th century? Our inaccurate understanding of the past often leads to mistakes or inaction in the present. In this episode, I delve into what I believe are misconceptions about the 20th century. I will focus on two main points: 1) why a certain interpretation of the end of World War II is incorrect; 2) why the belief that we are living in a "post-history" e...

Many anticipated that the 21st century would perpetuate the trend of the previous century, moving steadily away from imperialistic and colonial practices. Yet, what if the coming decades herald a reversal, ushering in not fewer, but more empires? Imagine a future where liberal democracies are overshadowed, forced to defend their existence and fight for their survival, much like Ukraine's current s...

In this episode, I reflect on the commonalities and differences between sea imperialism and land imperialism. I also explore different forms of power and domination within these imperialisms: domination by difference and domination by sameness. Additionally, I analyze the specifics of Russian imperialism and why it remains misunderstood worldwide. My name is Volodymyr Yermolenko, and I am a Ukrain...

Timothy Snyder came to Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, to present his book "On Freedom". We have had several conversations about the ideas of this book before (in Kyiv and Kharkiv), and you can find links to the podcast episodes featuring these discussions in the description. However, this was the first time we talked about this book after its publication. We recorded this conversation on Febru...

Anne Applebaum is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American journalist, historian, and political analyst. A few weeks ago, she was awarded the Peace Prize of German Publishers at the Frankfurt Book Forum. Her new book, "Autocracy, Inc.", explores the fragility of today’s democracies, and an ever-stronger network of autocracies that threaten them. In this podcast, she discusses some of the book’s...

My name is Volodymyr Yermolenko, I am a Ukrainian philosopher who lives in Ukraine. I am launching this new podcast because I believe that Ukraine is a key place for thinking today. Despite the war and suffering, Ukraine is a place where important thinking is being born. In this podcast, you will find my conversations with prominent intellectuals from Ukraine and abroad, as well as my reflections...