Shifting Memorialization of WWII in Latvia
After the USSR re-occupied Latvia from Nazi Germany in 1944, they constructed a narrative that framed the USSR as a welcome liberator. This was designed…
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VESTNIK – Issue 21, Fall, 2024
Vestnik was launched by SRAS in 2004 as one of the world’s first online academic journals focused on showcasing student research. We welcome and invite…
Riga: A History in Districts
Riga, the capital city of Latvia, boasts a rich history and diverse architectural heritage. Among its many districts, Mežciems, Purvciems, Grīziņkalns, Centrs, and Vecrīga stand…
Book Review of Defining Latvia: Recent Explorations in History, Culture, & Politics.
Loader, Michael, Hearne, Siobhán, and Matthew Kott. Defining Latvia: Recent Explorations in History, Culture, & Politics. Central European University Press, Budapest, 2022. 364 pp., $9.99…
Latvia: A Case Study of Colonization and Independence
Latvia is a small country on the Baltic Sea coast. Although it has maintained a distinct language and culture for hundreds of years, it has…
Europe: Divisions and Unifications
The European continent is diverse. Many of its countries, though smaller than many US states, can be further broken into regions that differ from each…
Could the Baltic Crisis Lead to Wider Conflict?
Recent years have seen a hardening of relations between the United States/NATO and Russia. Russian actions in Ukraine—especially the…
Languages in Conflict: The Case of Russia and Estonia
On a park bench in Moscow, I befriended a lively group of young actors from Tallinn, Estonia. They had come to Russia three years earlier…