The Baltic States from the Soviet Union to the European Union: Identity, Discourse and Power in the Post-Communist Transition of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania

by Mole; Richard

• ISBN13: 9780415394970
• ISBN10: 041539497X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2012-04-12
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

The Baltic States are unique in being the only member-states of the EU to have fought to regain their sovereignty from the Soviet Union, only then to cede it to Brussels in certain key areas. Similarly, no members-states have had to struggle as hard as Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to preserve their identity after fifty years of Soviet nationality policy in the face of sub-state and supra-state challenges. The post-communist experience of the Baltic States thus allows us to examine debates about identity as a source of political power and the conditioning and constraining influence of identity discourses on social, political and economic change and the orientation and outcome of their external relations. In particular, the book examines the impact of Russian and Soviet control of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, the Baltic independence movements of the late eighties/early nineties, the citizenship debates, relations with Russia vis-à-vis the withdrawal of the troops of the former Soviet Army, drawing of the shared boundary and the rights of Russian-speaking minorities as well as the efforts undertaken by the three Baltic States to rebuilt their states, modernise their economies, cope with the ensuing social changes and facilitate their accession to the EU and NATO.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1. Identity and Power in National Politics 2. Identity and Power in International Relations 3. Sovereignty and Identity in the Baltic State: A Historical Perspective 4. State and Nation-Building: Creating a Post-Soviet Identity 5. State and Nation-Building: Identity, Economy and Society 6. The Legacy of History: Identity and Foreign Policy 7. Between Russia and NATO: Identity and Security 8. Joining the European Union: Identity and Sovereignty. Conclusion