Unbearable “eastern European mentality:” the affective contradiction in the national belonging of Estonians with a migratory experience

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article asks what it means to be of Estonian origin with/in a migratory experience, following an online survey of people aged 20–35 and in-depth interviews with over 50 Estonians living abroad. We deploy the concept of affective contradiction – that is, the simultaneous presence of divergent affective affinities – in describing how Estonian young adults abroad articulate and negotiate their sense of national belonging. We demonstrate how ‘eastern Europe’ has come to refer to a certain kind of unfavorable mentality for these migrant Estonians, and one which also influences their desire to return.