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

Recent research on the acculturation strategies of Russian speakers in Latvia has demonstrated that there is a high level of support for integration (identifying with both Latvian and Russian cultures) compared to marginalization, separation, or assimilation. However, a number of researchers have also highlighted the negative impact of top-down narratives and discourses produced by the country's politicians and journalists. These discourses, it is argued, hamper the integration process by creating incompatible identity positions between ‘Russian-speakers’ and ‘Latvians’. Accordingly, this research turns to focus group interviews with Russian speakers in Latvia in order to uncover the nuances of their identity-forming processes, their relations with the respective Russian and Latvian states, and their acculturation strategies, which are commonly overlooked in top-down accounts. Based on the analysis of the qualitative data it will be argued that there is great potential for an integrated, yet culturally distinct Latvian-Russian identity in Latvia.     

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.     

Citizenship status and social exclusion in Estonia and Latvia

Abstract

Findings from the Norbalt living conditions surveys in Estonia and Latvia are used to examine whether persons without Estonian and Latvian citizenship are at greater risk of social exclusion than citizens in these two countries. the level of integration into the labor market, participation in civil society and political life, degree of social isolation, and the level of economic resources among the two groups are analyzed. In Estonia non-citizens are more at risk of social exclusion compared to Estonian citizens, while in Latvia one finds no statistically significant difference between the groups. In both countries educational level is much more important than citizenship status in explaining social exclusion.     

The use of oral data on life and thought in independent Latvia: A proposal for research

This article provides both historical and ethnographic views of Eastern religion in Lithuania. The historical component is an examination of the evolution of Lithuanian interest in Eastern religions from nineteenth-century studies of Indo-European comparative linguistics and mythology, which linked pre-Christian Lithuanian religion with India and Hinduism, to increasing literary, scholarly and popular interest in India and Asia in the twentieth century, before, during and after Soviet occupation. The ethnographic aspect utilizes fieldwork and interviews to examine three Eastern-inspired religious movements, (Pagan) Romuva, (Hindu) Krishna Consciousness, and (Buddhist) Diamond Way, demonstrating three different adaptations of Eastern religion in Lithuania.     

From employed to self-employed: An analysis of entrepreneurship in rural Latvia

Abstract

Private business is encouraged in transition countries in order to generate economic development in rural areas. This paper explores different forms of rural businesses in a peripheral region in Latvia. It builds primarily on interviews with business leaders and farmers. The analysis focuses particularly on the individuals that run businesses and how they utilise opportunities and respond to constraints. Individual resources such as ownership of land and buildings, skills and access to influential and geographically wide networks have been decisive for identification and exploitation of business opportunities in this rural context. Successful businesses demand that skills and contacts are continuously updated. Those undertaking such business activities that continuously try to adapt to the changing situation may be called “adaptive entrepreneurs”. Two different forms of adaptive entrepreneurs are identified; “flexible entrepreneurs”, those with greater ability to reorganize their businesses, and “restricted entrepreneurs”, those with more limited flexibility, which make them most vulnerable to change.     

A Comparative Approach to Civil Service Ethics in Estonia,Latvia and Lithuania

Ethics management is a rather new topic in public administration literature. The authors compare civil service ethics in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. By comparing statistical data, they describe models of civil service and features in civil service, analyze institutional arrangements and legislative frameworks and explore predominant values among Baltic civil servants. While there are some common features in the ethical management of all three countries, the authors conclude that the implementation of ethical management principles differs due to differences in the civil service systems.     

New Public Management in Latvia: Variations in openness to customer requests in public agencies

Abstract

The transformation of public administration in Latvia represents a commitment to continuous modernization. New Public Management (NPM) has under different names, such as “reinventing government” been proffered as an improvement of productivity and quality in relation to traditional public administration characterized by bureaucracy. In addition to adopting managerial systems from business, advocates of NPM include promises to alter the relationship between public services and the individual. Commitments to transparency and service declarations customarily follow in the wake of new forms of governance marked by privatization and contracting out of public services. This article reports on an empirical investigation of responsiveness to customer requests in a sample of Latvian public agencies at the national and local level. The survey included requests for basic information about the agency regarding the budget, expenditures, staffing, information services, and complaint procedures. In analyzing the findings, it is hypothesized that variation in service levels will correlate with agency type and the language spoken by the client.     

The October Crisis of 1993: Context and Implications

An eminent British specialist on Russian politics analyzes the conflict between Boris Yel'tsin and his opponents that resulted in the bloody military showdown of October 3-4, 1993. Based upon materials gathered in Moscow during the events and on the author's personal observations and interviews, the article traces the origins and course of the wider conflict. It also interprets the implications of Yel'tsin's actions for the further development of democracy in Russia.     

Health promoting schools: A quiet revolution in young people's health and education in Latvia

Abstract

The World Health Organization has operationalized health promotion in schools through a Health Promoting Schools (HPS) ideology that proposes that the entire school setting must support student well-being and health through the curriculum, the school environment, and links with family and community. In this paper we trace the development of HPS ideology in Latvia and evaluate its successes. We note that HPS has developed the required administrative infrastructure, a health education curriculum, and has successfully implemented health projects, particularly around lifestyle health issues. It has been less successful in establishing links with parents and the community.