More than 4 million Ukrainians have fled since Russia invaded their country last month. Roughly one out of every 10 Ukrainians is now seeking refuge elsewhere, mainly in neighboring countries like Poland. Last week, President Biden committed the United States to accept 100,000 Ukrainian refugees, pledging American support to European allies in managing the largest refugee crisis on the continent since the end of World War II.
George Washington University professors are available to discuss multiple aspects of the Ukrainian refugee situation. If you’d like to schedule an interview, please contact the GW Media Relations team at [email protected].
Amir Afkhami, associate professor of public health, is an expert on psychiatry and the impact of conflict on mental health. Dr. Afkhami conceived and led the U.S. State Department’s Iraq Mental Health Initiative and can explore the traumatic psychiatric effect the war in Ukraine could have on the millions escaping the conflict.
Daina Stukuls Eglitis, associate professor of sociology and international affairs, specializes in the experience of women during the Holocaust, World War II, and post-Soviet Eastern Europe. Professor Eglitis is able to delve into the past and present risks to women in war zones and atrocities committed against women by Russian troops in previous conflicts.
Michelle Kelso, assistant professor of sociology and international affairs, focuses on migration within Europe and the memory and commemoration of the Holocaust in former Soviet countries, particularly Ukraine. Professor Kelso can draw on her own experience assisting Ukrainians escaping conflict zones to discuss the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the country.
Robert Orttung, research professor of international affairs, can discuss the impact of the ongoing Ukrainian exodus on Europe and the U.S., look into the tools and tactics the U.S. government can use to carry out the resettlement of tens of thousands of Ukrainians, and explain how the U.S. can lighten the humanitarian load for its European allies.
Bernhard Streitwieser, an associate professor of international education and international affairs, looks comparatively at the impact of globalization on higher education. He can discuss the integration of migrants and refugees into higher education. Read a recent blog post Dr. Streitwieser wrote entitled “A World of Refugees: The Outbreak of War in Ukraine.”
Rosa Celorio is the Burnett Family Associate Dean and Professorial Lecturer for International and Comparative Legal Studies. She directs the International and Comparative Law program at GW Law School, and teaches the courses "International Human Rights of Women," "Regional Protection of Human Rights," and "Fundamental Issues in US Law." She is the author of the recently published "Women and International Human Rights in Modern Times: A Contemporary Casebook."