Ethnic Conflicts in the Baltic States in Post-soviet Period. Сборник статей

one of the conditions of European integration) causes irritation and only vague associations. Perceptions of political community (otherwise, relating to the state), rather optimistic shared by the majority of Latvia’s population by the end of the 90’s, completely devalued in 2013. Attributes of the Latvian state and its recognizable markers, as well as the ideology of independence, is rapidly leveled out in one pot of market relations, European integration and uncontrolled migration. In the context of the primordial approach of national identity and ethnic conflict, the titular identity is conservative and capsulated. A margin of safety Latvian identity significantly is fueled by historical, cultural and linguistic symbols of the past. The dominant Latvian national identity, built-in vertical hierarchic ethnic stratification is the main moderator in ethnic relations. Mobilized ethnicity in the top positions of ethnic stratification leads to the concentration of elitarian and hegemonic tools for creating boundaries and sustainability of national identity and effective protection against outside pressure. The “right” ethnicity as a determining factor has the largest resource of competitiveness in comparison with other personal, professional and business skills. Multiplied by status and role, and ethnicity is the most important building material for the ethno-nationalism. Ethnic nationalism in Latvia is a functional tool for the ruling elite to preservation of ethno-political stratification and inequality, as well as a necessary means of maintaining the peripheral European economic hierarchical inequalities during the economic crisis.

      Overall ethnic situation in Latvia conflictogenic, but ethnic conflict is not in the phase of the open manifestation and is not focused on violent forms of conflict. Orientation to the resistance to the regime and other forms of oppositional struggle to protect their own interests by ethnic minorities is related to the constitutional norms of individual and collective self-expression. The political protest as an expression of democratic values and civic responsibility does not possess resource legitimacy of the ruling elite and, in general, is realized only by ethnic minorities. However, one can readily admit provocative local director of mass ethnic confrontations in order to disguise the social confusion and the ongoing economic crisis. Focus on the resistance to the regime and other forms of oppositional struggle to protect their own interests by ethnic minorities, is related to the constitutional norms of individual and collective self-expression. The political protest as an expression of democratic values and civic responsibility has no resource legitimacy of the ruling elite and, in general, is realized only by ethnic minorities. However, one can readily admit provocative local directing of mass ethnic confrontations in order to disguise the social of disorder and the ongoing economic crisis.

      Contrary to the popular mythologems of the structural looseness of the Latvian ethnic minorities, the inability to articulating their interests, lack of political leaders who can take charge, and the cultivation by the power elite purely cultural mission of the non-titular population, ethnic minorities have become an effective political actor. The political aspirations of ethnic minorities in Latvia for the redistribution of power in order to build a consensual representative democracy, has constitutional and legitimate character, which in turn causes the ethnic mobilization of the titular nation and the a splash of radical ethnic nationalism.

      The practice of economic and political exclusion of ethnic minorities in Latvia is closely linked to their cultural alienation and cultural status hierarchy. Separation of Russian and other ethnic minorities, ethnicity, language, culture, religion, ethnic homeland, cause from the Latvian government agencies accusations of disloyalty, and leads to a limitation of their political rights and the suppression of ethnic minority cultures. This fact is an obstacle to the democratic development of ethnic and cultural diversity in Latvia through culturally inclusive policies.

      Latvian ruling elite having all resources of the institutional and ideological hegemony is the principal designer and conductor of ethnic politics. The content of the Latvian ethnic policy is actually a political and socio-economic revenge of the titular nation and the protection of the Latvian language. National ethnic policy is probably the most consistent and unchanging set out strategy and foreign policy of Latvia.

      The outcome of the Latvian ethnic policy is applicable for the Latvian political system known ideas of Samuel Huntington’s clash of civilizations with the cultural vacuum of ethnic tolerance and cultural manifestation of the conflict. The former focus on the development of national and multicultural forms of international communication (often – in the form of intentions, rare – in acts of social policy) as a result of long-term ethno-political conflict and inequality embodied in the existence of a rigid line of demarcation between the dominant ethnic majority and subordinated ethnic minorities. The political formula of “us and them”, former being journalist metaphor has become the new Latvian political reality.

      References

      Apine I., ’Integration or assimilation?’ In: Daugava,№ 4.,1994, pp.145–146.

      The Fate of Ethnic Democracy in Post-Communist Europe / Smooha S. and Järve P. (Eds). Budapest, Local Government and Public Service Reform Initiative. 2005

      Gaponenko А., Rodins М. System crisis of Latvian society – the reasons, scenarios of development, possibility of ovetcoming. Baltic Rim Economies, Issue N 2, 29 April 2009.

      How Integrated Is Latvian Society? An Audit of Achievements, Failures and Challenges / Editor Nils Muižnieks; University of Latvia Advanced Social and Political Research Institute. – Riga: University of Latvia Press, 2010.

      Horowitz D. Ethnic groups in conflict. – Berkley: Univ. of California press, 1985.

      Rothschild J. Ethnopolitics: A conceptual framework. – N.Y.: Columbia Univ. press, 1981.

      Huntington, Samuel P., The Clash of Civilizations? Foreign Affairs, Vol. 72, № 3, Summer 1993, pp. 22–49.

      Ilga Apine, Vladislavs Volkovs. Latvijas krievu identitāte: vēsturisks un socioloģisks apcerējums”. Latvijas Universitātes Filozofijas un socioloģijas institūts, 2007.

      Kymlicka W. Multicultural Citizenship. A Liberal Theory of Minority Rights. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 1995.

      Kymlicka W. “Introduction” and “Reply and Conclusion” // Can Liberal Pluralism be Exported?

      Western Political Theory and Ethnic Relations in Eastern Europe / edited by W. Kymlicka and M.

      Opalski. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2001.

      Kymlicka W. Western Political Theory and Ethnic Relations in Eastern Europe // Can Liberal Pluralism be Exported? Western Political Theory and Ethnic Relations in Eastern Europe / Kymlicka, W., Opalski, M. (Eds). Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2002.

      Rodins, Mihails (2012). Stratifikatsioon ja Venemaa võimueliit. – Poliitika. Riigiteadus. Rahvusvahelised Suhted, Nr. 4 (13), lk. 87-111.

      Rodins, Mihails (2011). Identity and political participation. In: Janis Ikstens, Andris Runcis (eds.).

      Founding elections in Latvia, 1993–1995. Analysis, documents and data. Berlin: Sigma, pp. 102–122 Smooha S. Arabs and Jews in Israel. Vol. 1: Conflicting and Shared Attitudes in a Divided Society. Boulder and London: Westview Press. 1989.

      Smooha S. Minority Status in an Ethnic Democracy: the Status of Arab Minority in Israel // Ethnic and Racial Studies, vol.13, No.3, 1990, P. 389–413.

      Smooha S. The Model of Ethnic Democracy: Israel as a Jewish and Democratic State // Nations and Nationalism. 2002. 8, 4 (October): P. 475–503.

      Steen, Anton (2012). ‘Elite and Mass Confidence in New Democracies – Towards Congruence? The Baltic States 1992–2007’. In Special issue: Elite Foundations of Social Theory and Politics.. Historical Social Research. ISSN 0172–6404. 37(1), 127–147.Steen, Anton (2003). The elite basis of Yeltsin’s and Putin’s regimes, In Anton Steen & Vladimir Gel’man (ed.), Elites and Democratic Development in Russia. Routled-ge.

      Steen, A. (1997) Between Past and Future: Elites, Democracy and the State in Post-Communist Countries: a Comparison of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Aldershot: Ashgate.

      Список различий в правах граждан и неграждан Латвии. Латвийский комитет по правам человека