A new free online course, Famine as Genocide: The Holodomor in Ukraine, is now available on the international educational platform Coursera, providing a global audience with access to the latest academic research on one of the most tragic chapters in Ukrainian history.
The course was developed by an international team of researchers led by the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies at the University of Alberta, in collaboration with the Holodomor Research and Education Consortium.
The course consists of 13 modules and examines the Holodomor not only as a historical event, but also as an example of political violence and genocidal policy within a broader international context. It combines the latest research, archival materials, eyewitness accounts, and an analysis of international reactions. Particular attention is paid to issues of disinformation and historical denial.
The launch of the course on a global digital platform is seen as an important step in disseminating verified academic knowledge about the Holodomor worldwide, particularly in light of ongoing manipulation of information surrounding Ukrainian history. It is noted that researchers working on this topic and promoting it internationally have faced political pressure and were recently included on the Russian Federation’s sanctions lists.
American historian and Stanford University professor Norman Naimark praised the course, describing it as “accessible, intellectually rich, compact and dynamic”, and noting that it “convincingly synthesises complex academic research into 13 logically structured modules”.
The course was created with the support of the Helen and Paul Baszucki Foundation and the Temerty Foundation. It is open and free to learners worldwide.