Exploring Russian-Speaking Identity from Below: The Case of Latvia

Cheskin, Ammon

doi:10.1080/01629778.2012.712335

Cited by 38 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Supporting this view there is much evidence that Russian speakers in the Baltic states view themselves as fundamentally different from Russians in Russia (Zepa 2006;Vihalemm & Masso 2003;Cheskin 2013;Fein 2005).…”

Section: Russian-speaking Nationality?mentioning

confidence: 83%

Identity and Integration of Russian Speakers in the Baltic States: A Framework for Analysis

Cheskin

2014

Ethnopolitics

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Abstract:Following a review of current scholarship on identity and integration patterns of Russian speakers in the Baltic states, this article proposes an analytical framework to help understand current trends. Rogers Brubaker's widely-employed triadic nexus is expanded to demonstrate why a form of Russian-speaking identity has been emerging, but has failed to become fully consolidated, and why significant integration has occurred structurally but not identificationally. By enumerating the subfields of political, economic, and cultural 'stances' and 'representations' the model helps to understand the complicated integration processes of minority groups that possess complex relationships with 'external homelands', 'nationalizing states' and 'international organizations'. Ultimately, it is argued that socio-economic factors largely reduce the capacity for a consolidated identity; political factors have a moderate tendency to reduce this capacity; while cultural factors generally increase the potential for a consolidated group identity.

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Section: Russian-speaking Nationality?mentioning

confidence: 83%

Identity and Integration of Russian Speakers in the Baltic States: A Framework for Analysis

Cheskin

2014

Ethnopolitics

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“…Unsurprisingly, there is a huge debate on this in Latvia, as well as an extensive academic literature (see Cheskin 2013 for a useful summary). What does this mean for young graduate emigrants from the russophone minority in Latvia?…”

Section: Ethnic Russians: Turning Disadvantage Into Advantagementioning

confidence: 99%

Eurocity London: a qualitative comparison of graduate migration from Germany, Italy and Latvia

King

Lulle

Conti

et al. 2016

CMS

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This paper compares the motivations and characteristics of the recent migration to London of young-adult graduates from Germany, Italy and Latvia. Conceptually the paper links three domains: the theory of core-periphery structures within Europe; the notion of London as both a global city and a 'Eurocity'; and the trope of 'crisis'. The dataset analysed consists of 95 in-depth biographical interviews and the paper's main objective is to tease out the narrative similarities and differences between the three groups interviewed. Each of the three nationalities represents a different geo-economic positioning within Europe. German graduates move from one economically prosperous country to another; they traverse shallow economic and cultural boundaries. Italian graduates migrate from a relatively peripheral Southern European country where, especially in Southern Italy, employment and career prospects have long been difficult, and have become more so in the wake of the financial crisis. They find employment opportunities in London which are unavailable to them in Italy. Latvian graduates are from a different European periphery, the Eastern one, postsocialist and post-Soviet. Like the Italians, their moves are economically driven whereas, for the Germans, migration is more related to lifestyle and life-stage. For all three groups, the chance to live in a large, multicultural, cosmopolitan city is a great attraction. And for all groups, thoughts about the future are marked by uncertainty and ambiguity.

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“…We refer, in particular, to the progressive phasing out of Russian medium language schools and the limitations in access to citizenship and labor rights. 1 Accordingly, academic representations of the situation in the Baltics largely have been framed around inter-ethnic and political questions (Agarin 2010;Cheskin 2013;Ehala 2009) and have been grappling with questions of how discriminated Russians are (Laitin 1998;Galbreath 2005) with regards to issues ranging from obstacles to citizenship and voting rights (Hughes and Kwok 2006;Woolfson 2010) to marginalization on the job market (Aasland, 2001; Leping and Toomet 2008;Siiner 2006;Vetik and Helemäe 2011). These concerns have found fertile ground on what Rogers Brubaker's "nationalising the state" framework (1995).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

National Identity for Breakfast: Food Consumption and the Everyday Construction of National Narratives in Estonia

Polese

Seliverstova

Kerikmäe

et al. 2020

Nationalities Papers

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Political debates on the Baltics, and in particular Estonia, have often pointed to “nationalisting” and exclusive narratives constructed at the institutional level. Accordingly, emphasis has been put on the lack of opportunities for Russians to integrate into an Estonian context. While acknowledging the shortfalls of the Estonian political project, this article contrasts these views in two ways. By emphasizing people’s agency and their capacity to question, contrast, or even reject the identity markers proposed by Estonian official narratives, we maintain that the integration of Russians might be more advanced than insofar claimed by other studies. We then look at the way identities are lived in an everyday context by inhabitants of Estonia to counterpose national narratives proposed by the state and its political institutions, with the way people live and whether they accept these narratives. By doing this, we explore the role of the everyday in the reconstruction of national identity narratives, in which citizens actively participate in their individual capacity. We suggest that, from a James Scott “infrapolitics” perspective, these micro-actions have a fundamental role in the reshaping of a national identity and its acceptance among citizens.

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Exploring Russian-Speaking Identity from Below: The Case of Latvia

Cited by 38 publications

References 29 publications

Identity and Integration of Russian Speakers in the Baltic States: A Framework for Analysis

Identity and Integration of Russian Speakers in the Baltic States: A Framework for Analysis

Eurocity London: a qualitative comparison of graduate migration from Germany, Italy and Latvia

National Identity for Breakfast: Food Consumption and the Everyday Construction of National Narratives in Estonia

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