Etics, Emics, Estonians and Russians in Contemporary Estonia: Is the Past still Dominating the Present?

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Etics, Emics, Estonians and Russians in
Contemporary Estonia Is the Past still
Dominating the Present?

• Aksel Kirch, Tarmo Tuisk, Hanna-Hulda Reinkort

Presentation at IACCP Congress 27-31 July,
2008 Bremen, Germany
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Background

• 1918 Republic of Estonia
• 1939 Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
• 1940 Start of the Soviet occupation
• 1941-1945 World War II
• 1991 Estonia regained independence
• 2004 EU membership of Estonia
• 2007 Bronze Soldier related events in Tallinn

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Research Method

• Identity Structure Analysis (ISA)
• Developed by Prof. Peter Weinreich (University of
  Ulster)
• Targeted (also) for cross-cultural studies
• Consists of etic and emic parameters
• Etic cross-cultural universals
• Emic reflecting qualities of local cultures

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Main Definitions

• ISA is an open-ended conceptual framework, which
  can be used to explore individual or group
  identities within particular socio-cultural and
  historical contexts. It is thus primarily
  concerned with the individual and societal
  phenomena within which issues of identity are
  implicated.
• Definition of identity A persons identity is
  defined as the totality of ones self-construal,
  in which how one construes oneself in the present
  expresses the continuity between how one
  construes oneself as one was in the past and how
  one construes oneself as one aspires to be in the
  future. (WeinreichSaunderson, 2003, 26)

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The Sample and the Instrument

• The method is applicable between relatively
  homogenous groups (e.g. Estonian and Russian
  students of the International University
  Audentes)
• 54 Estonians and 46 Russians were questioned in
  February 2008 at the IUA
• Each respondent filled a questionnaire that
  consisted of 11 rating sheets placing
  him/herself into 10 different positions (e.g.
  significant others).

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Significant Issues

• The symbols and connotation of World War II in
  the case of both ethnic groups were tested
• The influence of Russias media for Estonian
  Russians
• The role of Estonian language in the integration
  process
• Estonias fast economic development was
  questioned
• Government as a responsible body for economic
  well-being was opposed to personal efforts of
  every person
• Are there differences between Estonians and
  Russians noticeable?

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Idealistic Identification with Others
Index value is high when above 0.70 and low when
below 0.50
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Contra-Identification with Others
Index value is high when above 0.45 and low when
below 0.25
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Empathetic Identification with Others
Index value is high when above 0.70 and low when
below 0.50
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Conflicted Identification
The index value is moderate from 0.20 to 0.35,
and high when between 0.35 and 0.50. Estonians
and Russians both have high conflicted
identification with entity Estonian Russians.
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Identity Diffusion
Identity diffusion is considered to be the
dispersion of conflicted identifications with
others, where the greater the magnitude of
identification conflicts and the more extensive
their dispersion across others, the more severe
is the diffusion (Weinreich, 200364).
When we combine self-evaluation with identity
diffusion, 9 identity variants result.
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Identity Variants
 
 
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Constructs used for Group Typologies
Estonia has the likelihood of fast economic development as its economy is flexible and innovative lt2gt Estonia hasnt any likelihood of fast development as the country is small and resources are low
The Estonian government is responsible for the difficult economic situation of the population lt6gt First at all everyone has to manage himself/herself
The Soviet Union was the liberator of Eastern Europe in WW II lt9gt The Soviet Union was the occupier of Eastern Europe in WW II
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Group Typology I
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Group Typology II
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Conclusions

• The April 2007 events have facilitated
  Estonians to mobilise themselves politically to
  protect the Republic of Estonia after 16 years
  break
• Russian media, Russias hostility towards
  neighbours and history of World War II still stay
  somewhere in the minds of Estonians of not
  letting to forget the past.
• For Russians it is clear that the integration
  mechanism is going to be via Estonian language
  and culture and convergence in values with
  Estonians is taking place.
• At the same time significant symbols as the
  Bronze Soldier have still their role in
  Russians memories and attitudes that cause
  conflicted identifications leading to high
  identity diffusion that restricts smooth
  integration process.

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Conclusions

• The authors would like to emphasise that the
  events of April 2007 do not reflect any kind of
  ethnic conflict between Estonians and Russians,
  the contradictions base largely on different
  cultures having different historical background
  related to World War II.