The Eurasian Knot Russians in Latvia
Jun 24, 2024
Kevin Platt, professor of Russian and East European Studies and author of Border Conditions, explores Russophone communities in Latvia and their layered imperial memories. He discusses localized cultural practices, shifting meanings of occupation and settlerhood, the impact of the Ukraine war on identity, and how Latvia’s border dynamics echo other contested places. Short, thoughtful, and historically grounded.
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Cockpit Museum As Living Allegory
- Kevin Platt describes Yuri's Aeroflot AN-24 cockpit installed as a restaurant room in Riga's military-themed eatery.
- The cockpit museum piece symbolizes Latvia's layered military conquests and undecided historical narratives.
Border Condition Explains Dual Loyalties
- Platt frames Russophone Latvians as people living in a 'border condition' between Latvian/European and Russian worlds.
- This condition produces ongoing tension across language, media, citizenship, and historical narratives.
Conquest History Shapes Memory Politics
- Latvia's history shows repeated conquest by empires, and memory politics vary by community and language.
- Competing narratives equate or distinguish Nazi and Soviet occupations, shaping present identities.
