0000000000406858
AUTHOR
Brigita Zepa
Language Policy and Ethnic Tensions in Quebec and Latvia
Introduction Concern for the French language in Quebec in the 1960s and 1970s and the Latvian language in the then Soviet Union in the late 1980s and in the new Latvian state in the 1990s were ignited by some of the same demographic and assimilative forces in the two societies. Both Quebec and Latvia had lost their independence to larger powers. The birth rate and population declined abruptly in the two subnations. Schools in English (in Quebec) and Russian (in Latvia) attracted most immigrants. The elites were disproportionately drawn from outside the majority ethnic groups. To counter these trends, language policies were drafted, restricting access to English and Russian languages in scho…
Latvija. Pārskats par tautas attīstību, 2010/2011: Nacionālā identitāte, mobilitāte un rīcībspēja
2010./2011. gada pārskats ir veidots valsts pētījumu programmas „Nacionālā identitāte” ietvaros. Pārskata uzdevums ir aplūkot indivīda nacionālās piederības saturu tautas attīstības kontekstā. 2010./2011. gada pārskatā īpaša uzmanība pievērsta arī emigrācijas jautājumiem, jo tautas attīstību vājina iedzīvotāju skaita samazināšanās valstī. Cilvēku aizceļošana un dzīve citās zemēs ir liecība tam, ka pastāv nemitīga identitāšu konkurence un transformācija. Pārskats arī atklāj to apstākļu un paņēmienu paleti (rīcībspēju), kas sekmē cilvēka piesaisti vietai, reģionam. Pārskata pirmās divas daļas, kur aplūkota nacionālā identitāte un emigrācija, vairāk atklāj problēmas un veicamos uzdevumus, taču…
Political participation in Latvia 1987–2001
Abstract Political participation is crucial to democracy; we discuss its main features during three stages. The years 1988–91 are marked by anti-regime mobilization and extensive mass activism in support for restoring independence. After a “normalizing” phase between 1992–98 we note contradictory trends in more recent years. Next to conventional political participation one notes increasing protests, referendum initiatives, and corrupt ways of gaining influence.
Latvia. Human Development Report 2010/2011: National identity, Mobility and Capability
The 2010/2011 report was produced under the auspices of the national research programme „National Identity”. The job of the report is to survey the content of individual national belonging in the context of human development. The report particularly focuses on emigration issues, because human development is weakened by a reduction in the size of the country’s population. The fact that people are moving to other countries shows that there is an endless competition among identities, as well as a transformation of those identities. The report also reveals the set of circumstances and techniques (the ability to act) which facilitate links between an individual and a location or region. The firs…