Is There a Shared History? The Role of Contextual Factors in the Psychology of Inter-Ethnic Relations in Estonia

<p>Due to socio-political changes in Estonia in early 1990s, Russians and Estonians exchanged their social status – the previous superior position of minority Russians' was reversed after the restoration of independence in Estonia, while the status of native Estonians changed from underprivileged to privileged. These historical developments have not only affected the adaptation of Russian-speaking minorities, but also impacted on interethnic relations. This thesis investigates the adaptation difficulties of Estonian Russians and the unsettled inter-group relations in Estonia. The first chapter explains the unique features of the Estonian context that underpins the current inter-group situation. Previous research shows that inter-ethnic tensions have not been reconciled in Estonia, and Russian-speaking minorities are deprived in socio-economic areas compared to native Estonians. Relevant psychological theories are discussed in chapter two as a conceptual framework for investigating inter-ethnic relations in Estonia, laying the foundation for further research. In chapter 3, Study 1 introduces a qualitative exploration of both ethnic majority and minority perspectives on adaptation of Russian-speaking minorities and inter-ethnic situation in Estonia, revealing several incompatibilities in perceptions of Estonians and Russians. Different histories were shown to be important for Estonians and Russians. The legitimacy of status relations was claimed by Estonians, but rejected by Russians. Relative deprivation and intergroup comparisons were important sources of dissatisfaction and negative inter-ethnic relations for Russians, while Estonians generally disputed the deprivation of Russians. Estonians perceived threat to the existence of their nationhood, which was absent in Russians' perceptions. In chapter 4, Study 2 examined the impact of contextual intergroup variables on Russians' psychological adaptation and outgroup attitudes. In the final regression model, perceived deprivation relative to Estonians, status non-legitimizing beliefs and temporal comparisons remained significant predictors of low psychological adaptation of Russians and further mediated the effects of identity and history on psychological adaptation. Strong Estonian identity, weak Russian identity and status non-legitimizing beliefs functioned as significant predictors of positive ethnic attitudes. Assimilated Russian participants exhibited the best psychological adaptation and most positive ethnic attitudes, while the poorest adaptation was shown by individuals preferring integration. In chapter 5, Study 3 examined the majority perspective on intercultural relations in Estonia by investigating Estonians' inter-ethnic attitudes and support for affirmative action. Political and economic threat and status legitimizing beliefs played a significant role in mediating the effects of identity and history on ethnic attitudes. Support for affirmative action was predicted by lower perceptions of economic threat, perceived status non-legitimizing beliefs, and importance of Russian history. Estonians preferring Russians' integration or separation showed the most positive ethnic attitudes and the strongest support for affirmative action. Estonians perceiving Russians to be assimilated or integrated had more positive ethnic attitudes and were more supportive of affirmative action in comparison to those perceiving Russians as separated or marginalized. The final chapter consolidates the contextual factors, relevant psychological theories and key findings of this research. It emphasizes the importance of the socio-political and historical context in shaping the results and makes recommendations for future research and considers ways for improvement of ethnic relations in Estonia.</p>

Is There a Shared History? The Role of Contextual Factors in the Psychology of Inter-Ethnic Relations in Estonia

<p>Due to socio-political changes in Estonia in early 1990s, Russians and Estonians exchanged their social status – the previous superior position of minority Russians' was reversed after the restoration of independence in Estonia, while the status of native Estonians changed from underprivileged to privileged. These historical developments have not only affected the adaptation of Russian-speaking minorities, but also impacted on interethnic relations. This thesis investigates the adaptation difficulties of Estonian Russians and the unsettled inter-group relations in Estonia. The first chapter explains the unique features of the Estonian context that underpins the current inter-group situation. Previous research shows that inter-ethnic tensions have not been reconciled in Estonia, and Russian-speaking minorities are deprived in socio-economic areas compared to native Estonians. Relevant psychological theories are discussed in chapter two as a conceptual framework for investigating inter-ethnic relations in Estonia, laying the foundation for further research. In chapter 3, Study 1 introduces a qualitative exploration of both ethnic majority and minority perspectives on adaptation of Russian-speaking minorities and inter-ethnic situation in Estonia, revealing several incompatibilities in perceptions of Estonians and Russians. Different histories were shown to be important for Estonians and Russians. The legitimacy of status relations was claimed by Estonians, but rejected by Russians. Relative deprivation and intergroup comparisons were important sources of dissatisfaction and negative inter-ethnic relations for Russians, while Estonians generally disputed the deprivation of Russians. Estonians perceived threat to the existence of their nationhood, which was absent in Russians' perceptions. In chapter 4, Study 2 examined the impact of contextual intergroup variables on Russians' psychological adaptation and outgroup attitudes. In the final regression model, perceived deprivation relative to Estonians, status non-legitimizing beliefs and temporal comparisons remained significant predictors of low psychological adaptation of Russians and further mediated the effects of identity and history on psychological adaptation. Strong Estonian identity, weak Russian identity and status non-legitimizing beliefs functioned as significant predictors of positive ethnic attitudes. Assimilated Russian participants exhibited the best psychological adaptation and most positive ethnic attitudes, while the poorest adaptation was shown by individuals preferring integration. In chapter 5, Study 3 examined the majority perspective on intercultural relations in Estonia by investigating Estonians' inter-ethnic attitudes and support for affirmative action. Political and economic threat and status legitimizing beliefs played a significant role in mediating the effects of identity and history on ethnic attitudes. Support for affirmative action was predicted by lower perceptions of economic threat, perceived status non-legitimizing beliefs, and importance of Russian history. Estonians preferring Russians' integration or separation showed the most positive ethnic attitudes and the strongest support for affirmative action. Estonians perceiving Russians to be assimilated or integrated had more positive ethnic attitudes and were more supportive of affirmative action in comparison to those perceiving Russians as separated or marginalized. The final chapter consolidates the contextual factors, relevant psychological theories and key findings of this research. It emphasizes the importance of the socio-political and historical context in shaping the results and makes recommendations for future research and considers ways for improvement of ethnic relations in Estonia.</p>

Teachers’ Implicit Attitudes Toward Ethnic Minority Students: A Systematic Review

Although instruments to assess implicit attitudes were introduced more than 20 years ago, still there are few studies in the field of education that use them, despite the evidence that teachers with negative implicit attitudes can negatively affect the academic performance of their students. This review aims to summarize the results of studies that investigated the relationship between implicit ethnic attitudes of teachers and achievement of students. The review was conducted according to PRISMA-statement through searches in the scientific database PsychINFO, PsycARTICLES, and ERIC. Nineteen studies were included. Results show that overall teachers (from different school levels and different countries) hold negative implicit attitudes toward ethnic minority students, which play an important role in affecting the academic path of these groups of students. This review highlights the need to continue to use implicit attitudes procedures in future researches, in order to identify those factors that may contribute to the formation and expression of implicit attitudes of teachers; and the need to increase awareness of the implicit attitudes and multicultural practices of teachers in teaching programs.

The living conditions of Gypsy slaves in early nineteenth-century Wallachia

Very little research has been done specifically on the condition of the Gypsy slaves in Wallachia. Most general histories ignore them, and few contemporary observers studied them. This is just one more sign of their discrimination and neglect. This study draws on the exhaustive nominal lists of the Romani population from the database MapRom which draws on the first preserved count of the population of Danubian principalities (1838). Many aspects of the rob-slave condition have been analysed, the household size, the socio-professional and juridical categories and the Gypsy owners, the degree to which the Gypsies in Wallachia were integrated into the majority population and the ethnic attitudes of the surrounding population, and a case study of formation of a Gypsy settlement.

Features of the Relationship Between Inter-Ethnic Relations and Personal Security in the Regions of the Russian Federation

The complexity of inter-ethnic relations is caused by various factors, e.g. globalisation processes, the intensification of migration flows, peculiarities of social interactions, and the presence of conflicts in a multi-ethnic environment. In this regard, the aim of our study was to examine the relationship between inter-ethnic attitudes and personal security among respondents of different ethnic backgrounds in different regions of the Russian Federation. Respondents were asked to fill out a questionnaire based on the questionnaire for a comprehensive study of acculturation developed by John Berry, aimed at studying such psychological constructs as the assessment of tolerance/intolerance of ethnic attitudes of the respondent, the assessment of migrant-phobia, the scale of assessment of integral security (physical, cultural, economic), the assessment of orientation towards multicultural ideology, the determination of acculturation expectations/strategies of respondents. The authors have found a statistically significant relationship between such variables as ethnic tolerance, attitudes towards social equality and levels of migrant-phobia; between such variables as economic, physical and cultural security and migrant-phobia. It was found that respondents in the Amur region are mostly oriented towards expectations such as integration and exclusion, while respondents in the Sverdlovsk region are more oriented towards integration and assimilation. The authors believe the study to be important and valuable since the resulting data indicate the presence of different features of inter-ethnic relations in different regions of the Russian Federation, determining the nature of inter- ethnic relations and the level of tension in the region.

SOCIAL DISTANCE AS A FACTOR OF INTER-ETHNIC ATTITUDES FORMATION AMONG THE YOUTH FROM THE ALTAY REGION

Social distance is closely interlinked with inter-ethnic attitudes, and there is a need in a sociological analysis of these phenomena, especially among young people, more vulnerable to the risks of ethnic intolerance and xenophobia. In 2020 in the Altay region a sociological survey was conducted among the young people from 14 to 35 years old (n=507). The article presents its results, revealing the interrelation between inter-ethnic attitudes and social distance with different ethnic groups. It was found that a little distance forms positive context of inter-ethnic relations but can lead to erosion and confusion of ethnic identity among youth. The results obtained can be used as a basis for elaboration of strategies guiding positive ethnic identity formation and grounds for measures of youth policy in the Russian Federation.

Transformation of Ethnic Identity of Armenian Migrants Involved and Non-Involved in the Activities of Their National Cultural Autonomy

The paper discusses the results of a longitudinal empirical study on the types and manifestations of ethnic identity of Armenian migrants, its transformation depending on the participation/non-participation of representatives of the Armenian ethnos in the activities of the Armenian national cultural autonomy of Penza. The survey sample was formed from representatives of the Armenian ethnic group living in the Penza region: 100 during the initial diagnosis and 92 of them after the repeated diagnosis. The time period between the first and second stages of the study was 5 years. At each stage the sample included two equal subgroups: Armenian migrants who participated and did not participate in the activities of the national community. The features of ethnic identity were diagnosed by means of the Type of Ethnic Identity (TEI) technique (G.I. Soldatova and S.V. Ryzhova) and the technique for assessing the positivity and uncertainty of ethnic identity (A.N. Tatarko and N.M. Lebedeva). Student’s t -test was used for statistical data processing. The results of the study confirm the assumption that migrants who interact over a long stretch of time with their community organisation have less pronounced hyper-ethnic attitudes like ethno-egoism and ethno-isolationism. The repeated diagnosis revealed a decreasing tendency in the number of migrants in both groups with predominant positive ethnic identity and an increasing tendency in the number of migrants with ethnoindifference, which is most likely a natural reaction to their long staying in another culture and adaptation to it. The results of the study are likely to be useful in developing programs for the prevention of inter-ethnic conflicts in modern society, when it is necessary to take into account the role of national cultural autonomies in the process of migrants’ adaptation in the host society.