The aim of this study is to explore the experiences of those who observe war from a distance and to gain insights into how war affects communities and societies at a distance from direct hostilities. We compare the reactions to the outbreak of war both behind (in Lviv—considered a safe city in an invaded country) and beyond (in Wrocław, Poland, which neighbors Ukraine) the frontline. These cities represent, accordingly, a post-Soviet state undergoing Westernization, and a state now belonging to the realm of liberal Western democracies. Our study is based on an empirical analysis of memoirs written by sociology students in Lviv and Wrocław during the first three months of the war in May 2022. We analyze the structure of witnessing the war, evaluate the resilience of social order in the face of war-induced threats, and highlight the similarities and differences discovered between Ukraine and Poland. The outcomes highlight fundamental ways of experiencing the war outside the hostilities. The differences between Ukrainian and Polish narratives can be interpreted in terms of how real the threat of war is but also in the wider historical and political context.

中文翻译：

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乌克兰和波兰学生见证的俄罗斯入侵乌克兰


本研究的目的是探讨那些从远处观察战争的人的经历，并深入了解战争如何影响远离直接敌对行动的社区和社会。我们比较了前线后方（在利沃夫——被认为是被侵略国的安全城市）和更远（在与乌克兰相邻的波兰弗罗茨瓦夫）对战争爆发的反应。因此，这些城市代表了一个正在经历西化的后苏联国家，以及一个现在属于自由西方民主国家领域的国家。我们的研究基于对 2022 年 5 月战争前三个月利沃夫和弗罗茨瓦夫社会学学生撰写的回忆录的实证分析。我们分析了目睹战争的结构，评估了社会秩序在面对战争引发的威胁时的弹性，并强调了乌克兰和波兰之间发现的异同。结果突出了在敌对行动之外体验战争的基本方式。乌克兰和波兰叙事之间的差异可以从战争威胁的真实程度来解释，也可以在更广泛的历史和政治背景下进行解释。