Ethnic Conflicts in the Baltic States in Post-soviet Period. Сборник статей
Чтение книги онлайн.
Читать онлайн книгу Ethnic Conflicts in the Baltic States in Post-soviet Period - Сборник статей страница 8
Название: Ethnic Conflicts in the Baltic States in Post-soviet Period
Автор: Сборник статей
Издательство: AA PKS
Жанр: История
isbn: 978-9934-8113-6-4
isbn:
Table 2.
Ethnocultural identity in Latvia by nationalities (%)*
Question: What language do you speak at home?
Question: Is there a threat of extinction in the Latvian nation and the national language?
Question: To what extent are you concerned about the prob- lem of language discrimination in Latvia?
Question: Do you think that Latvians want to take revenge from Russian and other ethnic groups?
Question: What, in your opinion, the social characteristics of a person are crucial in Latvia?
Question: What will happen in the future with the culture of ethnic minorities in Latvia?
Question: Who are your national hero and a writer?
Question: What, in your opinion, it is necessary to make the non-Latvians to improve inter-ethnic relations in Latvia?
* This table contains only positive responses (“very attached” and “more attached”, “totally agree” and “agree“).
Cultural and value-based separation, the sharp demarcation of the ethno-cultural identities in Latvia are obstacles to the conciliation and tolerant of ethnic policy. Based on our research, it can be concluded that in Latvia there is a strong cultural divide between the ethnic majority and the minorities with mutually repelling orientation to multicultural integration.
Ethnic conflict: causes and extent of leakage
An important attribute of the analysis of inter-ethnic conflict relations is to identify the sources and causes of these conflicts. However, tracking the causes of ethnic conflicts methods of sociology faces a number of difficulties due to their species diversity, and the absence of clear boundaries between a number visible on the surface and the deeper reasons, rooted in the sphere of mentality and cultural attributes. Each conflict (or a series of conflicts) is unique, and it is characterized by its intrinsic set of components and their specific combination. Hence, any attempt to introduce an explanatory diagram of the ethnic conflict on the basis of a number of hypothetical causal statements or, on the contrary, verified findings will initially be inaccurate and incomplete.
Thus, the typical causes of ethnic conflicts among experts and representatives of the mass consciousness in Latvia indicate ethnic origin and language of the titular nation, the attitudes to the historical past and its interpretation, the fear of modern Russia. In order to determine possible causes and degree of the flow of ethnic conflicts in Latvia, there have been several questions to the respondents, providing a formalization of the responses. The question: “To what extent are you concerned about…“ ethnic conflicts in Latvia, 27.8 % responded positively Latvians, 36.6 % and 41.0 % Russian members of other groups. Table 3 shows the possible confrontation between the ethnic majority and the ethnic minorities. If the question on ethnic conflicts in general are concerned, only a quarter of the respondents, the opinion of a possible confrontation between the two groups have expressed about 15 % of the respondents. As is seen, the majority of respondents do not consider it possible ethnic confrontation.
Table 3. Ethno-political conflicts in Latvia (in%).
Question: Today in Latvia there are different ethnic groups. What is your opinion about a possible confrontation between the two groups? Please identify on a scale of 1 to 5 the extent to which this confrontation possible *.
* Presented only positive answers: “The confrontation is possible,” “Confrontation in unlikely.“
As the data in Table 3, in the case of a possible confrontation is only a small part of the 7.7 % of respondents (mainly from the non-titular nation), oriented to overt physical collision. Basically, according to the respondents, in case of a possible confrontation will only acute oral exchange (43.3 %).
Table 4. The causes of ethnic confrontation (in %).
Question: In your opinion, what are the reasons for this confrontation, to what extent? Please use a scale from 1 to 5, where “1” means – to a large extent, and “5” means – in a small extent. (One answer in each row) *.
* Presented only positive answers: “To a great extent,” “To a small extent.”
Analysis of the causes of ethnic conflict in Latvia dedicated to table 4. Among the causes of ethnic conflicts in Latvia, creating the widest medium for manifestation of active of interethnic interaction may include: economic and political inequalities of ethnic groups, economic crisis, and the threat of assimilation, the power struggle
between the elites of ethnic groups, lack of citizenship, and the impact of Russia. The data show that the hypothetical set of causes of ethnic conflicts sufficient to express the position of half of the respondents. Moreover, the lack of citizenship and the influence of Russia as the causes of ethnic conflicts indicated twice as much Russian and other ethnic minorities, which was to be expected.
The discussions and conclusions. Ethnic stratification and inequality in Latvia
The peculiarity of ethnic politics in a multiethnic Latvia since independence is a constant search for effective ways and means of incorporation of ethnic group’s titular nation. Formally proclaimed ideology of equality and social integration by Latvian ruling elite (the largest interest in which is detected sporadically in times of national and regional elections) completely discredited through assimilation processes by 2013. The failure of integration policies and the dominance of the processes of assimilation, as well as the rise of ethnic hierarchy in Latvia as a whole shared as power circles, quite heterogeneous expert community and the mass consciousness.
Ethno-political inequality and subordination in the distribution of power, privilege and resources resulted in modern ethnic stratification. Note that the borders and internal structure of ethno stratification in Latvia so far not completely finished and significantly concede the passed democratic transition by the end of the 90s. Ethno-stratification based on an ethnic hierarchy and inequality of different ethnic and social groups, and includes a variety of ways their reproduction (usually conservative) and legitimating. Ethnic stratification is given all the variety of ethnic and cultural spheres of national development and continuity, first of all denominated in a national culture, language and traditions. Obviously, the recognition and evaluation of the existing unequal forms of ethno-political relations presented in the government, the areas of employment, wealth, education, culture, etc. are the main causes of ethnic conflicts in Latvia.
In turn, evaluative aspect of ethnic stratification, as well as a demonstration of various forms of relationship to it by the ethnic and social groups is the subject of current research of ethno-sociology and other related humanities. However, despite the impressive amount of research carried out and accumulated knowledge in the field of ethnic politics in the Baltic region by local researchers (Apine I., Muiznieks N. Volkov V., Zepa, B., Gaponenko A. and et al.) and foreign experts, the actual theme of ethnic stratification is presented insufficiently. From here, picture of explanations of ethnic conflict and their types in Latvia often results in sociolinguistic and broad cultural consciousness and behavior and behavior of interacting ethnic groups.
СКАЧАТЬ