Characteristics of the development of individual national identity in Latvia in the 21st century

Characteristics of the development of individual national identity in Latvia in the 21st century

Aleksejs Šņitņikovs In the literature on nationalism the subjective importance of nationalism to the individual has been a discussed. For example, Ernst Gellner considered that in the modern age the national units are the favourite, preferred objects of identification and willed adherence (Gellner 1996: 53). On the other hand, Eric Hobsbawm questioned whether the identification of an individual with the nation is subjectively important and superior to other social identities (Hobsbawm 1992: 11). This theoretical discussion is relevant for the study of formation of national identity in Latvia in the 21st century. This article looks at the issue with the help of some conceptual tools developed by German sociologist Norbert Elias. According to N. Elias, in modern age there has been a shift in the balance between individual and collective identity towards greater individualization because of decreasing dependence of the individual on the nation-state. As a consequence, the individuals have become more independent in determining their identities. Nevertheless, the nation-state still fulfils a significant role as a survival unit which maintains the viability of the national identity at present. The in-depth interviews about the issues of formation of national identity in Latvia indicate liberal attitudes towards the state. These attitudes are characterized by an awareness of the rules for membership, the rights and obligations, and an understanding of how the state functions. The processes of migration highlight the potential changeability of the membership in the political community for the respondents.   At the same time, these interviews indicated the presence of emotional bonds with the nation-state of Latvia. These processes at the level of the institutional integration – citizens’ contacts with the state institutions and involvement in their activity, provided the basis for their awareness of the territorial and cultural connections with their co-nationals. Another factor strengthening the individuals’ subjectivity of belonging to a nation is the ‘constitutive attachment’ at the level of ethnic and national community.