Events
Lectures on identity-building of Estonian residents after restoration of independence
In October 2024, the Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies at the University of Tartu organised three public lectures on the identity formation of the Estonian and Russian-speaking population in Estonia between 1990 and 2020. Lectures in honour of the Cultural Diversity Year were be held in Tartu, Tallinn and Narva. All lectures were available for participation also online in the three cities and elsewhere.
The lectures took place on 3, 10 and 17 October at 15:30–17:00 and were given by researchers from the Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies at the University of Tartu. The lectures were held in Estonian in Tartu, English in Tallinn and Russian in Narva.
As a tribute to the Cultural Diversity Year, the lectures discussed how the discourse of identity of people living in Estonia in 1990–2020 has been portrayed in literature, media, politics, and popular culture. Researchers were looking for answers to several questions. How have Estonians and Russians in re-independent Estonia dealt with the past, present and future? In what ways have people of one nationality or another defined their own identity through different understandings of history, different stories, and human relationships? How have people become different and how have their own identities emerged? What can be learnt from these discourses and how can we find answers to today’s topical issues, be it integration or valuing the diversity of languages and cultures?
On 3 October at 15:30–17:00, Lecturer in Politics of Baltic Sea Region Countries Heiko Pääbo gave a lecture in Tartu entitled “Nationality, memory, narrative: important others in the discourse of Estonian identity” . Heiko’s presentation examined how Estonians’ past was portrayed in 1990 and 1995, how Estonians perceived their own role in the past, and what the relations with others were. The lecturer put the results of this historical insight in a broader context – where we came from, how we have progressed and how these roles have changed.
The lecture was be held in Estonian in room 214 of the Lossi 36 academic building. The lecture could be attended online in room 311 of the Tallinn Office (Teatri väljak 3) of the University of Tartu and in room 100 of Narva College of the University of Tartu. The lecture recording is available here: https://owncloud.ut.ee/owncloud/s/stFJLebHCB7fYcg
On 10 October at 15:30–17:00, Lecturer in Comparative Politics Alar Kilp gave a lecture in Tallinn entitled “Present Others in the identity narratives of Estonians: 1990, 1995, and today”. Alar spoke about the historical characteristics of Estonians, discussing who were considered Others in the newly restored Estonia, and what can be inferred about the Others of today.
The lecture was held in English in room 311 of the Tallinn Office (Teatri väljak 3). The lecture could be attended online in room 200 of Narva College and in room 305 of the Lossi 36 academic building in Tartu. The lecture recording is available here: https://owncloud.ut.ee/owncloud/s/fnEGtiATas5xH3Y
On 17 October at 15:30-17:00, Research Fellow in Political Science Elena Pavlova gave a lecture in Narva entitled “Who are we here? Debating Russian identity in Estonia through a cultural prism” (“Кто мы здесь? Дискуссия о русской идентичности в Эстонии сквозь призму культуры”). Eena discussed how Russian-speakers have defined themselves in Estonia after its regaining of independence. On the basis of the Russian-language literature published in Estonia, she examined the ways in which the views and perceptions of the Russian-speaking population living in Estonia have changed in relation to the main integration issues.
The lecture was held in Russian in room 100 at Narva College. The lecture could be attended online in room 311 of the Tallinn Office (Teatri väljak 3) and in room 307 of the Lossi 36 academic building in Tartu. The lecture recording is available here: https://owncloud.ut.ee/owncloud/s/GsSq9sFPd5HtA2Z
The lecture series took place in the framework of the Estonian Research Council-funded research project “National identity and Estonian-Russian relations: a longitudinal study of elite and mass discourses” in cooperation with the Integration Foundation.
On 7 October 2024, Alar Kilp participated in KUKU Radio programme “Behind Six Pillars” and talked about what the story of the Estonian people had been and how national identity had changed over the last decades.
Link to the radio programme is here: https://kuku.pleier.ee/podcast/kuue-samba-taga
On 4 October 2024, Elena Palvova participated in the KOFE+ programme of ETV+ television channel and introduced her coming lecture (on 17 October 2024) on the identity formation of Estonian Russophones.
Link to the interview is here: https://jupiterpluss.err.ee/1609465305/kofe
On May 17, 2024, Maili Vilson participated in the ASN World Convention with the presentation “Estonia’s “return to Europe”: Identity discourse on Europe during the period of re-independence”.
On 29 November 2023, Elena Pavlova was a guest in “Kofe+” on ETV+ television channel:
https://etvpluss.err.ee/1609177537/russkaja-identichnost-cherez-prizmu-mestnoj-russkojazychnoj-literatury
On 28 November 2023, Elena Pavlova discussed the crisis of Russian identity in Radio 4’s Sergeeva programme:
https://r4.err.ee/1609169720/sergeeva?fbclid=IwAR01i_WTg3PCGpPaHCrL6ViKTESr3Pmw1tIJSQyDFQPEZxj2cT_qXLeWVKY
On 14 November 2023 at 18:00 at Reforum Space Tallinn (Toom-Kooli 1) Azniv Tadevosyan’s seminar “Eternal February and Swan Lake: The Role of Russian Pop Music in the Anti-War Movement” was held at Reforum Space Tallinn (Toom-Kooli 1).
Since the outbreak of the full-scale war, more than twenty musicians have been declared foreign agents in Russia. Many have fled the country and others are unable to perform. Nevertheless, despite attempts to limit the expression of oppositional views, the importance of pop music in political discourse is growing.
This event discussed the role of music in the contemporary anti-war movement and explored the following key themes:
– the transformation of Russian popular music scene in light of the full-scale invasion;
– censorship and the role of the Internet Safety League: changes after 2022;
– musical resistance: what is the role of pop music in the anti-war movement;
– musicians as activists: how popular artists are using their social and financial resources to bring about change;
– contemporary themes and images in songs: what do artists sing about and what does it bring to the listener;
– is it possible to sing about politics in Russia in 2023?
On 2 November 2023, Azniv Tadevosyan was a guest in “Kofe+” on ETV+ television channel:
https://etvpluss.err.ee/1609138583/kofe
On 13 October 2023, Elena Pavlova held a seminar at Reforum Space Tallinn titled “Russians from Russia versus Estonian Russians: It’s not just for Putin”, where she explained, based on the project results, why misunderstandings can arise between relocatees from Russia and local Russian-speaking Estonian residents. During the seminar, Elena Pavlova addressed, among others, the following challenging questions:
– Can we say that the arrival of relocatees from Russia in the Baltic States contributes to the cohesion of the Russian-speaking population?
– Who are the “Baltic Russians” and is it correct to talk about them?
– Why do we increasingly encounter the negative image of the “Russian from Russia” in Estonian Russian-speaking culture?
– How is it that Russian liberals and oppositionists are perceived as “Others” rather than “Us”?
