Evija Klave Baltic Institute of Social sciences Latvia

1
Evija KlaveBaltic Institute of Social
sciencesLatvia

• Interethnic relations in Latvia
• Ethnic Stability Ethnic Changes
• Slovakia, Forum Minority Research Institute
• April 10, 2008

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Ethnic composition of population
Source Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia,
2007
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Determination of ethno-linguistic groups
Table 1. Ethnic belonging of population of Latvia
Source Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia,
2007
Table 2. Native language of population of Latvia
Source
BISS, 2007, November N2000
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Design and implementation of the ethnopolicy in
Latvia

• State Language policy 1989, 1992,1999
• Education policy 1998, 2004
• Citizenship policy 1991, 1994, 1995,1998
• All three spheres of ethnopolicy are
  interrelated,
• One of the goal of all three policies is
  integration of society
• Design and implementation of all three policies
  create conflicts in society
• on the level of policymakers and opposition,
• on level of mass-media
• on level of social/ethnic groups and individuals

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Evaluation of the relations between Latvians and
Russians
Latvians 7,8 Others 8,4
Source Ethnopolitical tension in Latvia ... ,
BISS, 2005
Latvians and non-Latvians separate out two
different issues ethnic relations in society as
a whole and individual ethnic relations.
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Views about causes of an ethnic gap

• Latvian language proficiency and usage habits
• States ethnic policies (language, education,
  citizenship)
• Endangered linguistic identity
• Interpretations of history

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Strategies to reduce ethno-political tensions and
to shape ethnic relations

• LATVIANS
• Enforce
• Stand aside
• Functional integration

• RUSSIANS
• Structural integration
• Compromise

80 of Latvians and 65 Russian speaking
residents support the integration strategy
individuals attach a great deal of importance to
the preservation oh their own culture while
trying to maintain intensive contacts with
another culture (Barry, J.W. , 2001)
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Views about the Latvias society in the future
Source Baltic Institute of Social Sciences.
April 2004, N1018.
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Evija KlaveBaltic Institute of Social sciences
Latviaevija_at_biss.soc.lv
Ethnic Stability Ethnic Changes Slovakia, Forum
Minority Research Institute April 10, 2008