Russia and Latvia

A Case of Sharp Power
1. Auflage 2023
ISBN: 978-1-032-53492-3
Verlag: Routledge

Buch, Englisch, 246 Seiten, Format (B × H): 161 mm x 240 mm, Gewicht: 540 g

Reihe: Routledge Contemporary Russia and Eastern Europe Series

This book explores Russia’s relations with Latvia, arguing that Latvia, with a higher proportion of Russian speakers than other Baltic states, is especially vulnerable to Russia’s “sharp power”.  The book highlights how authoritarian and totalitarian regimes are unable to exercise soft power based on the attractiveness of the country's culture and values, which would help them gain the favour of the audience of the target countries, but instead, as in the case of Russia, use public diplomacy, compatriot policy, media policy, propaganda, and disinformation to produce a destructive effect, distorting the democracies of target countries and increasing national security risks. The book provides in-depth detail on how Russia is making use of this “sharp power” in Latvia, examines the consequences and assesses the dangers for the future.

Zielgruppe

Academic

Autoren/Hrsg.

Kudors, Andis

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Geschichtliche Themen Mentalitäts- und Sozialgeschichte
• Sozialwissenschaften Soziologie | Soziale Arbeit Spezielle Soziologie Stadt- und Regionalsoziologie
• Interdisziplinäres Wissenschaften Wissenschaften Interdisziplinär Regionalwissenschaften, Regionalstudien
• Sozialwissenschaften Soziologie | Soziale Arbeit Soziologie Allgemein Empirische Sozialforschung, Statistik
• Sozialwissenschaften Ethnologie | Volkskunde Volkskunde

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Contents

 

List of Tables

List of Abbreviations

Acknowledgements

Introduction

1.     Extremely Sharp Power

2.     Methods of Sharp Power: Definitions

3.     The Context: One Hundred Years of Latvian-Russian Bilateral Relations

4.     History Still Matters: The Kremlin’s Diplomacy of Remembrance as One of the Main Elements of Sharp Power

5.     Russian Compatriot Policy Against Latvian Educational, Language and Citizenship Policies

6.     ‘Russian World’: Geopolitics, Values, and Culture

7.     The Russian Orthodox Church and Latvia

8.     Russian Media in Latvia: Much More than ‘RT’ and ‘Sputnik’

9.     Social Media as a New Ground for Confrontation

10.  Elections and Referenda in Latvia: ‘Neighbour’s Footprints in the Backyard’

11.  The Regional Dimension: Separatism of Latgale that Never Materialized

12.  The Emotional Side of Sharp Power: From Humour to Rudeness

Conclusions

Index

Über Autor(innen)

Andis Kudors is an Adjunct Lecturer in the Faculty of Social Sciences in the University of Latvia, Latvia