6 Estonian and Russian Communities

Abstract

:For Russians in Estonia, the prospect of Estonian independence meant a crucial change in status: from local representatives of an imperial nation to a minority in a small nation-state. We depicted the ethnic environment in which our respondents lived and worked. We then examined their command of the Estonian or Russian language as an important feature characterizing their mutual accommodation. Finally, we examined expressed attitudes by Estonians and Russians toward one another.For both Estonians and Russians, the immediate ethnic environment at work and place of residence had a substantial effect on language proficiency. The Russian-speaking respondents had a much more positive attitude toward close association with members of other nationalities than did Estonians. Most considered interethnic marriage acceptable. Many preferred to live in neighborhoods with Estonians as neighbors. On the whole, Russians were more open-minded and tolerant toward Estonians than Estonians were toward Russians. In independent Estonia, it has been difficult for Russians to remain flexible, given the impulse toward ethnic exclusivity among many Estonians.Of course, a broader spectrum of Russian speakers exists than was represented in our sample whose views were probably less accommodating to the Estonianization of political and social life than the older cohort of Russians in our sample. However, the accommodating views among long-term Russian residents of Estonia were noteworthy.

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