| Abstract |
Contemporary Estonia and Latvia are defined as ethnic democracies, constructed on inclusionary civic and exclusionary ethnic conceptions of community. Citizenship legislation in both nations after the dissolution of the USSR limited the property rights and cultural autonomy of noncitizens. A survey of Russian settlers' attitudes reveals that they perceive relations with the national community as improving; however, a sense of grievance remains among Russian communities. It is contended that the absence of collective action among Russian communities is the product of a weak sense of community and the loss of a national political identity. It is concluded that the careful management of ethnic conflicts is requisite to ensure democracy in Estonia and Latvia; the emergence of Russian political parties may jeopardize core nation security, thus producing widespread sociopolitical segregation. |