Estonian Russophone Identity in 2000

Abstract

In 2000, the dominant identity discourse among Estonian Russophones remained centred on the search for an identity of Self, independent of significant Others yet preserving elements of both. Although Estonia’s aspiration to join the Western structures was seen positively by Estonian Russophones, they felt uneasy about Estonian government policies that severed economic and cultural ties with Russia and framed the Russian language and culture as threats to Estonian nationhood. Russophones hoped that EU accession would compel the Estonian authorities to abandon the laws and policies they perceived as discriminatory. In their search for identity, Russophones struggled to locate a unifying factor beyond their attachment to both the Estonian land and the Russian language and culture. While the goal of fostering a united Estonian Russophone community was shared by both elites and the masses, elite actors failed to coordinate their actions, leading to the proliferation of political groups and factions that discouraged mass political participation.