WOCUP 2025:
War Trauma, Identity, and Political Behavior in Ukraine

Held January 23, 2025 • George Washington University

WOCUP 2025 brought together leading scholars from political science, psychology, sociology, and public health to examine how war trauma shapes Ukraine’s political behavior, social identity, and democratic resilience. Through public discussions and expert exchanges, participants explored the impact of wartime experiences on decision-making, mental health, community networks, and long-term recovery.

Key Themes & Discussion Topics

War Trauma & Political Behavior

  • How exposure to violence affects voting, trust, and democratic engagement

  • Stress, loss, and resilience in wartime conditions

Mental Health Challenges in Ukraine

  • Psychological consequences of long-term conflict

  • Mental health support networks and interventions

  • Community-level responses to trauma

Identity, Ethics & Social Transformation

  • How identity shifts under wartime stress

  • Ethical challenges in conducting trauma-related research

  • Gender, family, and community impacts of war

Speakers & Research Contributions

How is War Trauma Impacting Ukrainian Society & Politics?

Mikhail A. Alexseev,
San Diego State University

Stress, Loss, and Democratic Resilience: Survey Evidence from Wartime Ukraine

Robert Johnson,
University of Miami

Modification and Elaboration of Trauma Models: Testing Trauma and Psychosocial Models of the Effects of Direct Exposure to Trauma

Olga Onuch,
University of Manchester

PTSD and Political Regime Type Preferences

Valeriia Palii,
Kyiv School of Economics

Psychology In Services of Totalitarianism: The Russian Psychology and War against Ukraine

Samuel Whitt,
High Point University

Public Perceptions of Ethical Conduct of Research on War Trauma: Evidence from Ukraine

Henry Hale,
George Washington University

Chair

What Can Be Done to Promote Mental Health in Ukraine?

Olena Antonaccio,
University of Miami

Trauma, Social Capital, Identity, and Violence in the Context of War: The Case of Ukrainian Civilians

Ekaterina Botchkovar,
Northeastern University

The Shadow of War: Conflict Exposure and intimate Partner Violence Victimization in Ukraine

Cynthia Buckley,
University of Michigan

Trauma’s Measures, Meanings and Metrics: How Ukraine Informs Approaches to Exposure and Ethics in the Context of Armed Conflict

Anastasiia Timmer,
California State University

War Trauma in Ukraine: Towards a Comprehensive Integration of the Continuous Traumatic Stress (CTS) Framework into Research and Policy

Larysa Zasiekina,
University of Exeter

Post‐traumatic Stress Disorder and Moral Injury Among Ukrainian Civilians During the Ongoing War

Oksana Yakushko,
George Washington University

Chair

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