This volume is devoted to the relationship between political and social dimensions of nation-building in Estonia. The authors of the volume analyse the Estonian nation-building since 1991, when the Soviet Union collapsed and Estonia regained independence, in the context of post-communist transformation and globalization. Such a double macro-historical change has brought about highly polarized views in society between the ethnic Estonian and Russian-speaking communities on a number of key aspects of nationbuilding, like ethnic policy, meaning of national integration etc. The volume argues that national integration can progress only via formation of a unifying citizen identity in Estonia, embedded within democratic political processes.

Raivo Vetik is currently Professor of Comparative Politics at the Institute of Government, Tallinn University. His research interests include ethnic relations, ethnic policy, comparative integration policies, ethnic conflict, semiotics of culture and politics.

Leseprobe

Contents: Raivo Vetik: Introduction: Estonian Nation-Building in the Double Context of Post-Communist Transformation and Globalization – Raivo Vetik: Estonian ethnic policy after regaining independence – Marek Tamm: Conflicting Communities of Memory. War Monuments and Monument Wars in Contemporary Estonia – Rein Ruutsoo/Mari-Liis Jakobson/Leif Kalev: Segmented Civil Society as Challenge for Democracy: The Russophone Minority in Estonia – Mari-Liis Jakobson/Leif Kalev/Rein Ruutsoo: Becoming Postnational? Citizen Discourses among Estonia’s Transnationals and Multiculturals – Marti Taru: The Promise and Contribution of Youth Work to Cross-Cultural Integration – Maaris Raudsepp: Positional suffering and semiotic freedom: Russian-speakers in Estonia – Jüri Kruusvall/Maaris Raudsepp: Perspectives of Interethnic Relations in Different Contact Conditions – Gerli Nimmerfeldt: Ethnic and Civic Identities of Russian Youth in Estonia – Jennie L. Schulze: Shattering the Glass Ceiling. Russian Perspectives on Integration in Estonia – Raivo Vetik/Leif Kalev/Gerli Nimmerfeldt: Conclusions.