Ryan Wolfe, History, B.A., Distinguished Major Candidate; Foreign Affairs, B.A., University of Virginia

During the stay in Lviv, Ryan will be researching the impact of Lviv's public memorials, museums, and statues on Ukrainian historical memory and perceptions of national identity. Using digital mapping platforms like ArcGIS as well as survey research, Ryan hopes to illuminate the ways in which spatial factors influence conceptions of nationhood and community within the city. He finds this research to be particularly urgent because of its connection to the study of nationalism, which has emerged as an important topic in both Europe and the United States over the past several years. The rise of right-wing, ultra-nationalist groups in Ukraine and other European countries makes questions regarding nationalism and national identity seem more compelling than ever and serves as an appropriate impetus for Ryan in his research.