Dr Daryna Dvornichenko is a British Academy Researcher At Risk and Visiting Research Fellow at DPIR.
After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Daryna had to leave her home and seek safety abroad.
When she arrived in the UK, she approached DPIR for support with an application for the British Academy Researchers at Risk Fellowship. She was successful.
We spoke to Daryna about her journey to Oxford and began by asking her what’s involved as a visiting Research Fellow:
As a Visiting Research Fellow at DPIR, I focus on the intersection of war, displacement, and gender in Ukraine. Being part of DPIR has given me the opportunity to work alongside leading experts in international relations, conflict studies, and migration, which has not only strengthened my research but also helped me situate Ukraine’s experience within broader global patterns of war and displacement. This environment has been incredibly supportive both academically and personally as I rebuild my career from exile.
How does it feel to be here after leaving Ukraine?
I am deeply grateful that my application was successful, and this fellowship has allowed me to continue my academic work despite the immense disruption caused by the war.
Can you tell us a little more about your academic studies?
My research focuses on the experiences of Ukrainian women who have been internally displaced in Ukraine. I particularly focus on those who experienced the displacement not just once, but twice – first following the outbreak of the conflict in 2014, and then again after Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. This phenomenon of secondary internal displacement is something that has been largely overlooked, not only in Ukraine but globally. So, the study I work on with Dr Marnie Howlett is among the first to really delve into what this means for those living through it.
The study is based on a quantitative survey among 1000 respondents as well as 70 in-depth qualitative interviews I conducted with internally displaced women in Ukraine. I believe that my personal experience of forced displacement and shared cultural background helped establish rapport with participants. My position as an ‘insider’ allowed me to approach the interviews with both empathy and critical insight. Marnie, while holding more of an ‘outsider’ identity brought a different but complementary perspective. The combination of these two distinct positionalities enabled a rigorous, balanced, and objective analysis of the findings.
A key theme that emerged in the interviews I conducted was how these women’s sense of ‘home’ has been profoundly reshaped by being displaced twice. Home is no longer just a place—it’s a feeling they’ve lost and are struggling to rebuild, whether in their new communities or in hopes of returning one day.
Ultimately, our work seeks to amplify the voices of Ukrainian citizens, especially women, whose perspectives have been missing from much of the global conversation. We believe their experiences are crucial, not only for academics and policymakers seeking to understand displacement and migration but also for thinking about how Ukraine can rebuild socially and achieve social cohesion.
You are also co-leading another project, RE: BUILDING UKRAINE FOR All – funded by OPEN Seed Fund can you tell us more about it?
Our project, RE: BUILDING UKRAINE FOR ALL: Inclusive Recovery, Resilient Ukraine, is driven by a simple yet powerful idea: recovery is not just about rebuilding what was destroyed; it’s about creating something better, stronger, and fairer for everyone in Ukrainian society.
Led by Professor Freya Baetens, Dr. Ievgeniia Kopytsia, and myself, the project looks at how recovery can be inclusive ensuring that no one is left behind as Ukraine rebuilds.
Our approach is built around three core strategies. First, Inclusive Dialogues – we bring together a wide range of voices, including displaced people, local authorities, civil society, and international experts, ensuring that everyone who needs to be part of the conversation is heard. Second, Evidence-Based Policy – we translate these voices and experiences into concrete, data-driven policy recommendations for the Ukrainian government and international partners. Third, Learning from Global Best Practices – we adapt successful examples of post-conflict recovery from other countries to fit Ukraine’s unique context. Together, these strategies ensure that recovery efforts are both grounded in local realities and informed by international expertise.
What’s the project’s main aim?
The main aim of our project is to ensure that the voices and priorities of ordinary Ukrainians, especially those most affected by the war, are heard and integrated into both national and international recovery efforts. While much attention is rightly placed on rebuilding Ukraine’s physical infrastructure, we believe that a truly sustainable recovery must be driven by the experiences, needs, and perspectives of Ukrainian citizens themselves.
The idea for this project emerged when we attended the Ukraine Recovery Conference in 2023. There, we were struck by a noticeable gap: much of the discussion was being led by international partners, with a focus on large-scale reconstruction projects and macroeconomic reforms. The everyday realities and concerns of displaced people, frontline communities, and vulnerable groups were largely absent from these high-level conversations. That observation highlighted the risk that recovery efforts could become detached from the lived experiences of Ukrainians, particularly those who have suffered the most.
We believe that bridging this gap is essential, both for ensuring that Ukraine’s recovery is inclusive and for fostering long-term social cohesion. Our work emphasizes the need for a recovery process that is both bottom-up and top-down, balancing short-term needs like housing, jobs, and healthcare with longer-term goals like economic modernization and European integration.
Importantly, our research is already having an impact. For example, our findings were showcased at COP29 held in Baku last year, contributing to international debates on how climate resilience and post-war recovery intersect. Moreover, we have been invited to shape the agenda for the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) 2025 in Rome, which is a unique opportunity to bring the voices of Ukrainian citizens into one of the most influential platforms guiding the country’s future.
What piece of advice or message would you give to prospective DPIR early career researchers?
My advice would be to embrace challenges and stay open to collaboration. DPIR offers an incredible environment where diverse perspectives come together to tackle real-world issues. Take advantage of that—engage with fellow researchers, seek mentorship, and don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone. The most impactful research often comes from unexpected conversations and bold questions.