Cultural identity changes of academics in the context of war

Purpose We aim to explore the changes in cultural identity that academics experience in the context of critical career events through the prism of career shocks and chance events theory. We acknowledge that Ukraine and Ukrainian people are the primary victims of the war and that their suffering is incomparable to other groups involved. However, it is also valuable to understand all affected populations who also oppose the war. This holds particular relevance given that academics and universities are key in shaping safe spaces during major conflicts. Design/methodology/approach By conducting 30 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with Russian academics abroad, this study employs a qualitative methodology to examine the effect of a war on academics' cultural identity and career development. Findings The findings indicate that the war has had a significant impact on changing cultural identity, whereby we identify four types of cultural identity changes. Practical implications The implications can be applied to all displaced academics affected by traumatic events. Implications for human resource management and organizational career management concern possible practices and techniques for managing changes in cultural identities during war. Originality/value We extend the concept of cultural identity in a war context and equip universities worldwide with practical tools to support displaced academics. We expand the theoretical understanding and application of the concept of cultural identity and cultural trauma in the context of war, contributing to the growing body of career literature on cultural trauma and academics' cultural identity.