SCI Invites Award-winning Russia and Ukraine Correspondent to the University of Exeter
On Wednesday 9th October 2024, the Societies and Cultures Institute were thrilled to welcome award-winning journalist and author Luke Harding to the University of Exeter. Harding, a foreign correspondent for The Guardian, was based in Russia from 2007 until his expulsion in 2011, becoming the first journalist to be expelled from Moscow since the Cold War. Since 2021 he has been reporting from Ukraine on the Russian invasion of the country. He is the author of several books, including Mafia State (2011), The Snowden Files (2014) and, most recently, Invasion (2022).
Hosted and chaired by Professor Hugh Roberts (Languages, Cultures and Visual Studies, HASS), SCI invited Luke to talk about his experiences as a journalist in both Russia and Ukraine, and to discuss his latest book, Invasion: Russia’s bloody war and Ukraine’s fight for survival. A brilliant and charismatic speaker, Luke’s talk was truly fascinating and filled with incredible anecdotes. He recalled how, when in Russia with his family, his every movement was tracked (somewhat comedically) by the KGB. He shared a story of Ukrainian History students who had skipped class to make Molotov cocktails – when he asked why, their response was, ‘Why study history? We are making it right now!’
The talk was followed by a lively Q&A with audience members asking Luke a range of questions, from his insight on Putin’s personality to the Biden and Trump administrations and their role in this war.
Luke’s visit concluded with a sell-out book signing for Invasion, kindly organised by Bookbag.
The talk was held in Lecture Theatre 2, Queen’s Building which as at full capacity with a varied audience including members of staff belonging to the Researchers at Risk initiative, the Devon for Ukraine Initiative, the Ukraine Society for students.
