Minority in the making: democratisation, nationalising states and civic engagement in the post-Soviet Baltic States

ENThe extent of the social and political transformations that have taken place in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania since the collapse of the Soviet Union is remarkable, but the research has pointed out some controversial aspects of their developments. Crucially, there is a discrepancy between the governments’ commitment to creating democratic political regimes, to ensuring harmonious social relations and to accommodating the ethno-cultural diversity of the resident communities. In reflecting on the legacies of the Soviet past, I address the role non-titular populations have played in the process of democratisation and the relation between the states, societies and minorities in the post- Soviet Baltic states. My research proceeds along three lines. Firstly, I examine the institutional dimension of democratisation in the region, thereby addressing the processes of state- and nation-building as reflected in various policy-developments. Secondly, I compare the impact of ethno-cultural diversity on the development of the respective Baltic nation-states. In doing so, I argue that the framework of Baltic political communities was designed to suit the interests of the titular ethnic groups and thus resulted in the marginalisation of the minority communities.Thirdly, I assess the participation of minority communities in the development, criticism and improvement of state institutions and policies since independence. My analysis points out that, two decades after independence, the post-Soviet Baltic states and societies are seen by many members of the majority ethnicities as primarily serving the interests of their ethnic community. In this situation, the members of the non-titular communities need to adapt to the majorities’ perceptions in order to benefit from the achievements of democratisation. My research argues that the outcomes of post-Soviet democratisation in the region highlight the limits of democratisation when it takes place within the framework of the nation-states.