Browsing by Subject "Russian Speakers"

The Russian speaking communities in Estonia, Lativa, and Lithuania have a long and complicated position in the specific political, cultural, and, more recently, security environment of the Baltic region. Over the past three decades, portions of these populations have been left unintegrated into the majority language and culture of these states, either by choice or due to external circumstances. Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has further intensified these demographic dynamics, leading to new policies that securitize members of the Russian language community. This thesis analyzes expert scholarly perspectives on the perceived security threats in the Baltic states as they relate to the integration of Russia speaking populations in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, and the potential political and social costs of these perceptions and the securitized measures being implemented. The theoretical foundation of securitization is utilized in this research to explore the unique manifestations of how the Russian speaking community in these states are perceived as threats, and the unexplored role of informant that scholars play in these securitized processes. Through the method of expert interviews, data is collected that presents academic experts’ articulation of security, integration of the Russian speaking minority, the effects of Russia’s recent actions in Ukraine and new Baltic policies within their respective states. A thematic analysis of these interviews identifies key themes within the data set, allowing for a presentation of four primary perspectives on security as it relates to the Russian speaking communities in the region. The findings of this research discover that though a dominating perception exists that the Russian speakers of the Baltic states are perceived as a threat, this threat is nuanced and articulated in contrasting ways. The perceived costs entailed with the securitization of Russian speaking communities in the region is also presented, along with the immediate and long-term consequences such securitized policies may have in these states. The unexplored position that scholars occupy in securitization is expounded upon, demonstrating how they view their impact and influence in relation to security within Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.