CONFERENCE
The topicality of the subject brought together foreign diplomats, representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGO), historians, politicians, academics, students and others; the discussion about issues pertaining to the past attracted more than 50 participants.
With the official opening, the book’s editor Nils Muiznieks, Director of the Advanced Social and Political Research Institute at the University of Latvia (UL ASPRI), addressed the audience by stressing the role of history and memory – an eternal set of issues. They are not just historians who contest history - it is certainly deeply rooted in both Latvian and Russian mentality and affected either Latvian social life or foreign policy.
The issue includes articles on such themes as Latvia in Russia’s historical narrative (in historiography, school textbooks and documentary films), as well as an analysis of Latvian-Russian “dialogues” in both bilateral relations and multilateral fora. The book is written by the teaching staff and doctoral students of UL, Faculty of Social Sciences.
To establish a dialogue with Russia on the issues of history is a very difficult task assigned to the Commission of the Historians of Latvia. Moreover, this question also arises in relations to other Russia’s neighbours - Estonia, Ukraine, Poland, Georgia and others. Nils Muiznieks expressed the hope that this book will be Latvian contribution to international dialogue on the issues of history and memory.
The book is on sale at Academic Press of the University of Latvia and other shops. The full text is available here. The preparation and publication of this book was generously supported by the University of Latvia and the Baltisch-Deutsches Hochschulkontor with additional funding from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).
Translated by students of the professional study programme Translator of the University of Latvia.
Translated by students of the professional study programme Translator of the University of Latvia.
