Maxime Chervaux (Université Paris 8, French Institute of Geopolitics)
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Ukrainian electronic music scene has not only withstood the dislocations of war, but has also redefined its function as a civic and political actor. Moving beyond simplistic interpretations of rave culture as a form of “escapism,” this scene has become a site of grassroots mobilization, community care, and cultural resistance. In doing so, it aligns with the broader role of Ukrainian civil society in the “co-construction of national defense” since 2014.[1] This paper examines how electronic music communities in Ukraine—particularly in Kyiv and Kharkiv—have adapted to war by organizing charity events, maintaining cultural spaces, and reshaping public rituals of togetherness under curfew and displacement. Based on fieldwork conducted in 2024–2025, including semi-structured interviews with DJs, producers, and organizers, and participant observation at events, it explores how practices of sound, space, and solidarity have been reconfigured in response to geopolitical rupture. Through the lens of cultural geography and critical geopolitics, the paper maps the symbolic and material recomposition of this ecosystem. It argues that Ukraine’s electronic scene plays a key role in performing and sustaining civic solidarity under conditions of total war—offering not only refuge but also a platform for political agency, youth engagement, and collective resilience. By documenting how culture becomes a terrain of resistance, the paper contributes to broader reflections on the power of civil society and artistic practices to foster new forms of solidarity, identity, and legitimacy during geopolitical crises. [1] Anastasia Fomitchova, Waging War, Shaping the State: Non-State Actors in Ukraine’s Defense (2014-2022) (in French) [Doctoral thesis, University of Ottawa], 2024, unpublished.