The Effects of Interethnic Contact on Ethnic Identity: Evidence from Latvia

A specialist on interethnic conflict investigates Russians and Latvians in post-Soviet Latvia to specify the conditions under which ethnic groups converge and diverge. The relationship between contact and identity is examined through the use of several kinds of demographic data, including data on school choice, mixed marriages, changes in registered "nationality," and emigration. The analysis is used to consider the effects of interethnic contact on ethnic identity and the issue of ethnic identity and change.