Estonian Russophone Identity in 1990

Abstract

In 1990, the dominant identity discourse among Russophones in Estonia focused on rethinking their Soviet past amid an uncertain present. This is the time of reflection on how the Soviet Union affected people living in Estonia, both positively and negatively, over the past 50 years, all while Estonia was striving for independence. Once a majority, Russophones struggled to define their identity in a period of change; were they Soviet Estonians or Estonian Russophones? Many had a tough time accepting their new minority status and the re-independence of Estonia due to the socio-economic inequalities and the resurgence of nationalism that accompanied it. Nevertheless, Estonian independence viewed positively, as it was imagined as a time of positive change when Estonians and Russophones could be equals, working together for a democratic and just future.