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Minority rights in distress: A case study of Russian speakers’ resistance in response to education policy changes in Latvia before and during the Russo-Ukrainian War

Barlika, Maria LU (2024) MRSM15 20241
Human Rights Studies
Abstract
In the past decade, studies have examined how the Russian-speaking minority reacted to changes in citizenship, language, and memory politics. However, one aspect that has not been studied is the response to educational policy changes during an ongoing conflict. This study investigates the resistance strategies of Russian-speaking mesolevel actors against minority education policy changes before and during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The study aims to demonstrate how human rights can be defended during geopolitical pressure. To explore this, the research method of qualitative text analysis was applied to evaluate how Russian-speaking actors expressed their resistance in two different periods: before and during the War. The study’s... (More)
In the past decade, studies have examined how the Russian-speaking minority reacted to changes in citizenship, language, and memory politics. However, one aspect that has not been studied is the response to educational policy changes during an ongoing conflict. This study investigates the resistance strategies of Russian-speaking mesolevel actors against minority education policy changes before and during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The study aims to demonstrate how human rights can be defended during geopolitical pressure. To explore this, the research method of qualitative text analysis was applied to evaluate how Russian-speaking actors expressed their resistance in two different periods: before and during the War. The study’s results revealed that Russian-speaking actors exhibited limited resistance in both periods due to the lack of communicative spaces and the government’s portrayal of their resistance as orchestrated by the Kremlin, thus causing them to face persecution and stigmatization. Lastly, the study’s findings are substantial as they point out a connection between human rights advocacy and the impact of ongoing conflicts on them. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Barlika, Maria LU
supervisor
organization
course
MRSM15 20241
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Resistance, Latvia, Russian-speakers, minority rights, education, Russia, qualitative text analysis, stigmatization.
language
English
id
9175933
date added to LUP
2024-10-04 10:40:19
date last changed
2024-10-04 10:40:19
@misc{9175933,
  abstract     = {{In the past decade, studies have examined how the Russian-speaking minority reacted to changes in citizenship, language, and memory politics. However, one aspect that has not been studied is the response to educational policy changes during an ongoing conflict. This study investigates the resistance strategies of Russian-speaking mesolevel actors against minority education policy changes before and during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The study aims to demonstrate how human rights can be defended during geopolitical pressure. To explore this, the research method of qualitative text analysis was applied to evaluate how Russian-speaking actors expressed their resistance in two different periods: before and during the War. The study’s results revealed that Russian-speaking actors exhibited limited resistance in both periods due to the lack of communicative spaces and the government’s portrayal of their resistance as orchestrated by the Kremlin, thus causing them to face persecution and stigmatization. Lastly, the study’s findings are substantial as they point out a connection between human rights advocacy and the impact of ongoing conflicts on them.}},
  author       = {{Barlika, Maria}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Minority rights in distress: A case study of Russian speakers’ resistance in response to education policy changes in Latvia before and during the Russo-Ukrainian War}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}