| Abstract |
A review of demographic information reveals that most Baltic Russians live in cities, possess higher levels of education than their Russian counterparts, and maintain Russian cultural institutions. While Russians appeared to experience traumatic psychological shock over the realization of independence in 1989, it is contended that Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia were already constructing separate national identities. Baltic Russian citizens experienced difficulties in becoming naturalized--a situation directly related to the strict enforcement of official language regulations. Although Baltic Russians have revived their ethnic identity more quickly than Russians in other former Soviet republics, it is noted that the Baltic state governments are pushing Russians toward a collective self-determination, an identification many Russians find problematic. |