Global Security & the War in Ukraine: Perspectives from the Front with Alex Gorgan & Florent Marcie

Hilary Matfess

Assistant Professor, Security, Gender, & Governance

Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs

I am an Assistant Professor at the Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs at the University of Denver. I am also a Council on Foreign Relations Term Fellow, a Research Fellow at the Research on International Policy Implementation Lab and a Senior Associate (non-resident) at the Center for Strategic and International Studies' (CSIS) Africa Program.



In 2021, I graduated from Yale University with a PhD in Political Science. 2015, I graduated with an MA in International Relations, with a focus on African Studies from Johns Hopkins SAIS. My research is at the intersection of security, gender, and governance, with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa.



My work has been published in International Security, Security Studies, Stability, Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, and African Studies Review. My first book, Women and the War on Boko Haram was published in 2017. My second book, In Love and at War: Marriage in Non-state Armed Groups, was published by Cambridge Elements in 2024.

Rachel Epstein

Professor, International Political Economy & International Security

Alex Gorgan

Alex Gorgan is a 54-year-old Ukrainian attorney, father of three, and a devoted citizen who made the extraordinary decision to set aside his career and family life to defend his country in the face of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Before the war, Alex practiced law and served as a manager for a private real estate development company, building a professional life rooted in advocacy, negotiation, and leadership.

When the invasion began, Alex felt a moral obligation to protect his homeland and safeguard the future of his children. Volunteering for the Ukrainian Army, he brought with him not only courage but also the perspective of a lawyer and civilian professional suddenly thrust into the brutal realities of war.

Today, Alex serves on the frontlines, where his experience provides a powerful lens on both the governmental and political complexities of Ukraine’s struggle and the profound human cost of the conflict. His story is not just one of military service, but of resilience, sacrifice, and a deep commitment to freedom and justice.

Florent Marcie

French Documentary Filmmaker & War Correspondent

Florent Marcie (b. 1968) is a French documentary filmmaker, journalist, and war reporter whose work has brought global audiences closer to the human realities of modern conflict. Both producer and director of his films, Marcie is best known for Itchéri Kenti (1999), an intimate portrait of Chechen rebels during the 1996 Chechen war, and Tomorrow Tripoli (2013), a documentary filmed at the heart of the Libyan revolution.

Since beginning his career in December 1989 during the Romanian revolution, Marcie has dedicated himself to exploring how people respond to war, the complexities of information in modern societies, and the possibilities for revolution in the post–Cold War world. His films are distinguished by their unflinching access to conflict zones and their commitment to documenting truth in the midst of chaos.

Beyond film, Marcie has contributed to the written press and institutional media, and is an active member of the WARM Foundation, an organization dedicated to war reporting and memory. Through decades of work on the frontlines, he has become an essential voice in understanding both the brutality of war and the resilience of the human spirit.

At this event, Florent Marcie will share his firsthand experiences from years embedded in conflict zones, offering students and the community a rare perspective on the intersections of war, media, and society.