Transitions, Learning, and Material Culture : Ukrainian War Refugees and the Objects They Carried

This book examines how Ukrainian refugees experience learning, transition, and transformation as they adapt to life after displacement. It is valuable for Adult and Continuing Education, Transformative Learning, Migration Studies, Trauma-Informed Education, and Comparative Education researchers; and professionals working with refugees.

This book examines how Ukrainian refugees experience learning, transition, and transformation as they adapt to life after displacement. Drawing on interviews and photographic data, it follows the journeys of 21 women forced to flee their homes after the 2022 Russian invasion. The text explores the practical and emotional challenges that refugees face: navigating language barriers, processing trauma, finding new ways to work and care for family, and integrating into unfamiliar cultures. These narratives are elicited from personal objects the women brought with them as they fled—physical items that serve as tools for memory, reflection, and learning. By focusing on material culture, the book shows how the objects that surround us are tied to our social and cultural identities. They are more than just possessions; they act as symbolic connections to home, security, loss, and the ongoing process of change. This collection will be highly valuable for researchers in Adult and Continuing Education, Transformative Learning, Migration Studies, Trauma-Informed Education, and Comparative Education, as well as professionals and policymakers working with refugees.