The Role of 9 May Commemorations in the Discursive Construction of Russophone Identity in Estonia

Abstract

Post-1991 attempts to integrate the Russian-speaking population in Estonia failed to address a significant identity aspect: their collective memory. The application of the mnemonic actor concept to ordinary individuals, rather than political elites, demonstrates the diverse constructions of collective memory narratives. Three prevailing types of narratives were identified through interviews, suggesting the heterogeneity of the local Russophone identity. All the narratives are attributed to the 9 May commemoration of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in 1945, but vary significantly in their temporal boundaries as well as in identity group inclusiveness. The latter is reflected in the respondents’ opposition to certain out-groups, especially Estonians or Russians in Russia.