Questioned Loyalties, Mixed Attachments: What Future for the Russian Minority in Latvia?

• In Event: Evolving Baltic Russophone Identity: Politics, Boundaries, and Media Dynamics

Abstract

This research focuses on the loyalty of the Russian minority in Latvia, noting that despite being increasingly scrutinized and questioned, many Russian-speakers in Latvia consider themselves Latvian patriots and feel a strong attachment to Latvia, not Russia. The paper will explore the implications of stigmatizing Russophone minorities and the potential risks it poses, relying on survey data to understand the interplay between civic and ethnic nationalism.

Author

• Inta Mierina, U of Latvia (Latvia)