Title
Identity in Formation: The RussianSpeaking Populations in the New Abroad (The Wilder House Series in Politics, History and Cult
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Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, nationality groups have claimed sovereignty in the new republics bearing their names. With the ascendance of these titular nationality groups, Russian speakers living in the postSoviet republics face a radical crisis of identity. That crisis is at the heart of David D. Laitin s keenly awaited book.Laitin portrays these Russian speakers as a beached diaspora since the populations did not cross international borders; the borders themselves receded. He asks what will become of these populations. Will they learn the languages of the republics in which they live and prepare their children for assimilation? Will they return to a homeland many have never seen? Or will they become loyal citizens of the new republics while maintaining a Russian identity? Through questions such as these and on the basis of ethnographic field research, discourse analysis, and mass surveys, Laitin analyzes trends in four postSoviet republics: Estonia, Latvia, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine.Laitin concludes that the Russianspeaking population is a new category of identity in the postSoviet world. This conglomerate identity of those who share a language is analogous, Laitin suggests, to such designations as Palestinian in the Middle East and Hispanic in the United States. The development of this new identity has implications both for the success of the national projects in these states and for interethnic peace.
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- Q: What is the main theme of 'Identity in Formation'? A: The main theme of 'Identity in Formation' is the crisis of identity faced by Russian-speaking populations in post-Soviet republics, exploring how these groups navigate their identity amidst changing national boundaries.
- Q: Who is the author of this book? A: The author of 'Identity in Formation' is David D. Laitin, a prominent scholar in the fields of politics, history, and culture.
- Q: What type of research is used in this book? A: David D. Laitin employs ethnographic field research, discourse analysis, and mass surveys to analyze trends among Russian-speaking populations in four post-Soviet republics: Estonia, Latvia, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine.
- Q: How many pages does the book have? A: The book contains 432 pages.
- Q: What edition of the book is available? A: The available edition of 'Identity in Formation' is the first edition, published on June 15, 1998.
- Q: What condition is the book in? A: This listing describes the book as a used book in good condition.
- Q: What binding type does this book have? A: The book is available in paperback binding.
- Q: Does the book discuss the implications of new identity categories? A: Yes, the book discusses how the emergence of a 'Russian-speaking population' as a new identity category has significant implications for national projects and interethnic peace in post-Soviet states.
- Q: Is there a focus on specific countries in the book? A: Yes, the book specifically focuses on the experiences of Russian-speaking populations in Estonia, Latvia, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine.
- Q: What is the significance of the term 'beached diaspora' in the book? A: The term 'beached diaspora' describes Russian speakers who did not migrate but found themselves in new national contexts due to the receding borders of the Soviet Union, highlighting their unique identity challenges.