CONFERENCEhttps://doi.org/10.22364/ilt.26.05 | 74-83 | PDF
Inese Šūpule
Dr. sc. soc., socioloģe un vadošā pētniece Latvijas Universitātes Humanitāro zinātņu fakultātes Filozofijas un socioloģijas institūtā un nodibinājumā “Baltic Institute of Social Sciences”
Latvijas tauta vai latviešu tauta? Jēdziena Latvijas tauta izpratne Latvijas iedzīvotāju skatījumā
Atslēgvārdi: pilsoniskais nacionālisms, etniskais nacionālisms, etniskā daudzveidība
The People of Latvia or the Latvian Nation? Understanding the Concept of “People of Latvia” from the Perspective of Latvia’s Inhabitants
Keywords: ethnic diversity, ethnic nationalism, civic nationalism, Latvia
The People of Latvia is a civic concept used in the Constitution of Latvia. According to the Constitution, the People of Latvia are the sovereign and the foundation of the state, encompassing both the Latvian nation and members of other ethnic and national communities who are connected to Latvia through legal citizenship (Kusiņš, 2022). In this interpretation, the concept of “People of Latvia” emphasizes civic belonging and is, in a sense, an inclusive definition that certainly promotes social cohesion. At the same time, in everyday usage and in public surveys, the concept of “People of Latvia” may be interpreted differently, sometimes being narrowed down to mean only the “Latvian nation”.
To understand the openness of different groups of Latvia’s inhabitants to the inclusive approach defined in the Constitution, the question of the People of Latvia was posed in a representative survey of Latvia’s population. The analysis is based on data representing the population of Latvia, comparing responses from surveys conducted in 2010 and 2024 regarding which groups of inhabitants are understood to be included in the “People of Latvia”.
Survey data show that ethnic Latvians are more inclined to draw boundaries regarding which groups of inhabitants should be considered part of the People of Latvia, compared to representatives of other ethnicities living in Latvia. However, it is important to emphasize that not only ethnic affiliation but also citizenship, a sense of belonging to the state, and proficiency in the Latvian language are among the most significant principles shaping the perception of belonging to the People of Latvia both among ethnic Latvians and other ethnic groups residing in Latvia.
Saliedētības vektori. Sast., zin. red. I. Kivle, M. Kūlis. Rīga: LU Akadēmiskais apgāds, 2026, 200 lpp.