GROZOVSKAIA, SNEZHANA

1) Why are you researching or studying at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar?

Before deciding to pursue a Master's degree at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, I had the opportunity to visit the university and the city as part of an urban activism programme. I was captivated by the sense of freedom and the vibrant university life in the city. Several years later, I was looking for an interdisciplinary, research-based programme in urban studies to continue my education. I chose the ‘European Urban Studies’ programme because of its experimental approach, the excellent opportunity to conduct a research internship and the Institute's focus on post-Soviet cities and urban heritage, which I found very enriching for my academic path. These features make the programme unique and create a fruitful environment for PhD preparation.

2) What makes your project special, and why is it relevant?

My research interests lie at the intersection of critical urban heritage studies, urban sociology and anthropology. I am also interested in the relationship between heritage and war. My current research focuses on urban heritage policies, practices and discourses produced by the government and urban heritage protection movements in wartime Russia. The full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has affected all areas of public policy and civil society in Russia. The authoritarian political regime continues to reinforce its power by stifling civic initiatives and exploiting history as a key source of justification for the war. My research examines the interconnection of urban heritage discourses and policies in the technocratic institutional environment and traces changes in urban regeneration policies in recent years during the period of increasing militarisation of the regime.