Authors
Maryna Rusanova1; 1 The University of Birmingham, Discussion
Abstract:
This study builds on the project Antisemitism in Post-Migrant Britain (APMB), which explored the relationship between Holocaust memory and contemporary antisemitism in post-migrant societies. APMB, developed by Professor Sara Jones (Modern Languages), Dr Julian Hoerner (Politics and International Studies), and Dr Maryna Rusanova (History), demonstrated that while Holocaust education is often considered a “remedy” for antisemitism (Feldman, 2022), its forms and meanings vary significantly across socio-political contexts. Notably, antisemitism in former state-socialist countries differs from Western patterns due to divergent ways in which the Holocaust is remembered and transmitted (Kovacs and Fischer, 2021).
Building on these insights, the transnational education project Europe’s East, the Second World War, and the Holocaust created an educational platform linking the UK, Ukraine, Poland, and Romania. Its aims were twofold: to develop and disseminate resources for Holocaust education in Eastern Europe and to foster international dialogue on memory, education, and antisemitism. The project team includes Professor Sara Jones (PI), Dr Sarah Hall, Dr Julian Hoerner, Dr Maryna Rusanova, Dr Ewa Tartakowsky, and Dr Isabel Wollaston.
As part of the initiative, two competitions were launched. The first invited secondary students (16+) to participate in “creative mapping” of key events such as Babi Yar (1941), the Warsaw Ghetto (1943), and the deportations of Jews, Sinti, and Roma from Romania. The second competition targeted teachers and future educators, who were asked to develop lesson plans using selected Holocaust teaching materials.
The project is particularly important for Ukraine, where Holocaust education at the national level remains in its infancy and is often fragmented in regional curricula. By facilitating the exchange of international experience, providing access to research-based resources, and encouraging active participation through competition, the project addresses existing gaps and promotes intercultural dialogue between Western and Eastern Europe. By integrating academic research with practical initiatives, the project offers a sustainable framework for improving Holocaust education and demonstrates how transnational cooperation can make education not only a means of preserving memory, but also an effective tool against contemporary anti-Semitism. 
