Brutal Catalyst:
What Ukraine’s Cities Tell Us About Recovery From War
War is a brutal catalyst.
Ukraine’s cities know its horrors.
The fundamental nature of war never changes. Those it visits, however, are forever transformed.
How, then, should Ukraine’s cities recover from war? It is a matter of choice. Some will champion a return to the familiar. Others will seek being greener and more progressive. An unknown number will choose to evolve in yet other ways. History tells us all will find the way ahead a difficult one.
How, then, might Ukraine’s cities recover effectively? What lessons will they offer those suffering disasters yet to come?
The author, Dr. Russ Glenn, applies his over thirty years of urban and security issues studies to these challenges.
Now available!
Praise for Brutal Catalyst
“In Brutal Catalyst, soldier-historian Russ Glenn delivers a clear, well-argued, well-documented study of…what recovery [in Ukraine] will be like.”
— Colonel (US Army, retired) Gregory Fontenot, Commander, 1st Brigade, 1st (US) Armored Division in Bosnia-Herzegovina, 1995-1996
“Dr. Glenn’s solid historical research and astute, pragmatic analysis identify vital trends that policymakers should consider as they grapple with what to do in Ukraine now and postwar.”
— Major General (US Army, retired) Anthony Funkhouser, formerly Commander, Afghanistan Engineer District–South, 2010-2011
“Dr. Glenn, one of the world’s premier scholars of urban operations, [delivers] an essential guide for those planning and implementing urban recovery efforts, equipping them with the knowledge and insights they need to navigate these complex challenges.”
— Dr. John P. Sullivan, Research Fellow, Arizona State University Future Security Initiative and Instructor, Safe Communities Institute, University of Southern California
“I want...the repair and development of new and more modern energy facilities...education in communities, construction of housing, supply of medical equipment...all this gives us resilience in the face of war and the feeling that life will still prevail. I am confident that Ukraine will implement its national recovery project.”
– Ukriane President, Volodymyr Zelensky, Speech at the Ukraine Recovery Conference (Germany), June 2024