Estonian People Research Articles

Anything is possible: Word of Life and utopian thinking during the revolutionary processes in Estonia, 1987–1991

ABSTRACT The late 1980s was a chaotic period in Soviet Estonia. The liberalization process of the Soviet Union brought about a sense of freedom and the possibility that Estonian people would finally have a say in the future of Estonia. This unexpected feeling of freedom formed the basis for various attempts to narrate a better society, including religious visions of a new Estonia. Several of the new religious movements that emerged during this period developed their own ideas about the future of Estonia, with some incorporating utopian perspectives. Although these movements had distinct views on the identity and independence of Estonia, their ideas have not yet been thoroughly researched. The aim of this article is to show how one of the movements, Word of Life, addressed these times of change, and to elaborate on what kind of utopias about Estonia are construed in the discourses.

René Espere’s concert pieces: from the composer’s concept to the performance interpretation

Statement of the problem. Under consideration is René Eespere’s piano works created during the period of his maturity. The composer’s work is marked not only by its depth and originality, but also reflects the spiritual wealth and national identity of the Estonian people. Estonian music remains little known in Ukraine, therefore the article proposes to popularize the work of René Eespere, which will contribute to the establishment of cultural communication between Ukraine and Estonia. The research is based on performance experience and scientific analysis of three concert pieces by the composer: “Ludus tactus”, “Alter ego” and “Persona mea”. Analysis of recent research and publications. The article based upon the studies by K. Pappel (1992) and S. Pylypenko (2021, 2023) who highlight René Eespere’s piano works created by him during the period of creative searches (until 1995). Information pertaining to the mature phase of the composer’s career, is derived from various sources: the press materials (Hinn, 2016), interviews (Colucci, 2012), and our personal correspondence with the composer. The theoretical base of the study is formed by the works of Ukrainian musicologists, contributed to the theory of interpretation of musical works (Moskalenko, 2013) and musical communication as an interpretive phenomenon (Nikolaievska, 2021), performance issues (Bezborodko, 2017; Verkina, Bondarenko, Sagalova, & Timofeyeva, 2020; Chernyavska, Ivanova, Timofeyeva, Syriatska, & Mits, 2023), typologies of compositional styles (Serhaniuk, Shapovalova, Shehda, Kazymyriv, & Kolubayev, 2021). Objectives, methods, and novelty of the research. The purpose of the study is to highlight the conceptual aspects of compositional thinking and its embodiment in performance on the example of René Eespere’s three concert pieces for piano. The genre and stylistic, functional and structural, compositional and dramaturgical, as well as interpretive methods were used in the study. The article presents the first theoretical and performance analysis of René Eespere’s concert pieces in the Ukrainian musicological field. Research results and conclusion. The history of creation of works is described; the conceptual principles of compositional and performing thinking are highlighted; the regularities of the musical dramaturgy of each of the opuses were analyzed; a complex of expressive means is revealed; a brief description of the content and a scientific analysis of the works are given. It has been established that the concert piece “Ludus tactus” has significant compositional and performing potential, because the multifaceted author’s idea of the piece requires of flexibility and freedom in its pianistic implementation. The first performance of the piece by Ralf Taal is analyzed, which is of great interest, because the pianist’s artistic and technical skill allows him to find harmony between the author’s idea and his own performance vision of the composition . The piece “Alter ego” is aimed at revealing the artistic possibilities of a pianist, promotes the development of his artistic and emotional thinking, which is demonstrated by Polina Abolimova’s interpretation of the piece, the young performer who skillfully conveys its content aspects, its artistic sophistication. The piece “Persona mea” is the composer’s “small-format self-portrait”, an example of sound self- expression of the artist. The rendition of the piece by famous Estonian pianist Kalle Randalu, analyzed in the article from the point of view of the objectification of the composer’s idea, is a bright example of its interpretation, impeccable in the technical aspect, exceptionally detailed and refined in the sound.

Experiences of childhood play among different generations in Estonia

Play is an important part of child development, learning and the lives of children; however, access to the space and time necessary for play has dramatically changed in recent years. The aim of this study is to examine memories about childhood play from three generations of people in Estonia. Individual interviews were used to retrospectively explore perceptions of play with 98 respondents. The respondents mainly associated play memories with outdoor games that involved joy, fun, and excitement. The findings identified that freedom and a variety of options for play were important for children. The results highlighted the wide repertoire of play across generations and the difference between play for urban and rural children. The findings were compared with earlier studies and considered in light of educational and political changes in Estonian society.

Construction of Learning during the Inevitable Distance Learning Period: A Critical Perspective of the Experiences of Young People in Estonia

Background: As a result of the global school closures in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, distance learning, educational technology and learning by oneself has gained the attention of both teachers and parents, as well as schools worldwide. So far, knowledge regarding distance learning has been contradictory and gathered mostly in a quantitative manner. Aim: The aim of the following article is to examine the distance-learning experiences of four youngsters aged 16 from the DigiGen project exploratory pilot study in Estonia—a country known for its digital development. The study focuses on how learning was construed during distance learning in the experiences of young people. Method: These experiences, gathered in four semi-structured in-depth interviews, are placed in the framework of the theory of transactional distance and critical discourse analysis. Results: As the results indicate, the distance-learning experiences are derived from the structure and organisation of the distance learning—the more rigid the structure, the more difficult it was for the students. Five main discourses emerged regarding how youngsters construed learning during distance learning: (1) school building is for learning; (2) teachers teach instead of self-learning; (3) learning as a forced activity; (4) avoiding asking for help; and dominant in all the discourses was (5) avoiding responsibility. Discussion and conclusion: According to the results, distance learning is multifaceted and young people have ambivalent experiences from a distance learning.

Inequalities in utilization of institutional care among older people in Estonia

The purpose of this study is to shed light on various sources of inequalities in the utilization of institutional care among the Estonian elderly. We apply two-part hurdle and zero-inflated negative binomial models to analyze the association between various socioeconomic determinants and other factors on the one hand and the use of inpatient care and rehabilitation care services on the other. We discriminate between the two types of models using the new approach to comparing nonnested models – the HPC test. Applying the Lewbel estimator, we also explore the association between the utilization of inpatient care and rehabilitation. The evidence supports the existence of a pro-rich and pro-educated gradient in the needs-adjusted utilization of inpatient and rehabilitation care services among older people in Estonia. At the same time, we find no tangible urban/rural or ethnic barriers to the use of these services. The obtained results suggest the necessity of facilitating the accessibility of rehabilitation care services by mitigating both demand-side and supply-side barriers.

Corrigendum to Work accommodations and sustainable working: The role of social partners and industrial relations in the employment of disabled and older people in Estonia, Hungary and Poland

Corrigendum to Work accommodations and sustainable working: The role of social partners and industrial relations in the employment of disabled and older people in Estonia, Hungary and Poland

Piiskop Platoni roll õigeusuliste eestlaste vaimse vastupanu juhtimisel 1918. aasta Saksa okupatsiooni ajal

Piiskop Platoni roll õigeusuliste eestlaste vaimse vastupanu juhtimisel 1918. aasta Saksa okupatsiooni ajal

When a Right-Wing Populist Party Inherits a Mass Party Organisation: The Case of EKRE

When the Eesti Konservatiivne Rahvaerakond (EKRE, Estonian Conservative People’s Party) took over the defunct but extensive party organisation of the Estonian People’s Union, it placed great emphasis on rebooting and extending the organisation and bringing in new activists. As a result, EKRE has grown into a full-fledged mass party type of organisation with all the characteristics associated to it. Furthermore, it has become the fastest-growing party in Estonia in terms of membership and been notably successful in electoral terms. This article focuses primarily on the question of how EKRE developed a mass party organisation with a strong, ideologically-devoted activist core and a remarkable presence on the ground. The article also demonstrates how the party offers a variety of opportunities for engagement to its members. In contrast to an archetypical right-wing populist party, the decision-making power is somewhat diffused within the party, though the party leader remains the public face and mouthpiece of the party. EKRE’s online engagement strategies have been among the most successful in recent Estonian politics and make the party stand out. The article demonstrates that parties can often revise as well as repurpose the features of the predecessor parties and even build defunct mainstream parties into mass parties with a firm ideological core.

Kodusõja sündmustest Abhaasia eesti asundustes 1918–21

Kodusõja sündmustest Abhaasia eesti asundustes 1918–21

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Families: Young People's Experiences in Estonia.

This articles reflects the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the everyday lives of children and their families in Estonia during lockdown in spring 2020 and 2021. The data corpus is based on diaries compiled by children during the first lockdown in 2020 for a collection at the Estonian Literary Museum, and on a series of semi-structured interviews with children documenting their experiences during lockdown in spring 2021. The study draws on literature from the “new sociology of childhood” and applies Bronfenbrenner’s social ecological model to an analysis of young people’s experiences when their mobility outside the home was restricted, and they were forced to reorganise their time use. The findings show how the pandemic extended the social contexts in which children and their families are embedded and highlighted the role played by socio-cultural factors in shaping children’s coping capacities. In combination, analysis of the two datasets demonstrated the differential effects of lockdown on young children. The accounts from the first wave of the pandemic in 2020 suggested that positive family environments could smooth the negative effects of lockdown and help them cope with unexpected changes in their everyday lives. The interviews during the second outbreak of the pandemic revealed how the emerging weariness and boredom reported by some children strained family relationships. The amount of time that children spent online both modified and expanded their experiences of technology-supported interactive spaces. Their reports showed that the interactive contexts in which they were operating through social media extended beyond national borders to an interest in transnational and global events. Online communication did not, however, compensate for the loss of real-life contacts with friends, which became a major concern for young people in Estonia. In the concluding discussion, the authors consider policy responses that address the main issues identified in the research.

Dynamics of hepatitis C epidemic among people living with HIV in Estonia based on Estonian HIV cohort study

BackgroundEstonia has a typical Eastern European HIV epidemic where the most frequent co-infection is chronic hepatitis C (HCV). We aimed to describe the changes in HCV prevalence, the distribution of HCV genotypes (GT), and HCV treatment in Estonian people living with HIV over 15 years.MethodsWe used data of subjects included to the Estonian HIV Cohort Study (E-HIV) before 31st of December 2015. We compared two time periods—first, 1st of January 2000 to 31st of December 2008 when the HIV epidemic was mostly spreading among people who inject drugs (PWID) and second, 1st of January 2009 to 31st of December 2015 when HIV started to emerge to the general population.ResultsOf 4422 HIV positives 3708 (84%) had information about their HCV serostatus; 2706 (61%) were HCV seropositive, of latter 1625 (60%) were HCV RNA positive, 239 (9%) had their HCV GT determined, and 141 (5%) received treatment for HCV. The dominating subtypes were 1b (42%) and 3a (37%) followed by 1a (16%), and the few cases of 2 (1.5%). HCV prevalence was 1.5 times (95% CI 1.4–1.6) higher in subjects diagnosed with HIV in first as compared to those diagnosed in second period (84% vs 56%, respectively). There were more men and the median age at HIV diagnosis was lower in HIV/HCV co-infected than in HIV mono-infected patients (70% vs 47% and 24 years vs. 30 years, respectively; both p < 0.001).ConclusionThere is a decrease in HCV prevalence but it remains high among HIV positive PWID, suggesting that there is need for improvement of harm reduction programs among PWID.

POSITION OF THE KEY POLITICAL PARTIES OF THE BALTIC STATES ON THE UKRAINIAN-RUSSIAN CONFLICT

The article analyses the approaches of the key political parties of the Baltic states to the Ukrainian issue: their assessment of the degree of the Russian threat to the regional space, the interpretation of the events of Russian aggression in the Crimea and the Donbass, views on the prospects for relations with Ukraine and the Russian Federation. It is confirmed that most of the Baltic political forces take a solely pro-Ukrainian stance, which makes it possible to assess the prospects for further development of stable cooperation between them and Ukraine as extremely high and practically independent from the electoral cycle. It is noted that the most consistent partners of Ukraine are the right political forces such as the Lithuanian "The Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats" and the Estonian Reform Party. By their ideology, they are natural allies of Ukrainian pro-European political parties. The radical nationalists from the Baltic states (the Estonian Conservative People's Party, the Latvian National Alliance), for whom Ukraine is a natural ally in counteracting the Russian threat, are also extremely friendly to our state. Centrist and left-wing parties from the Baltic states are also showing solidarity with Ukraine in foreign policy matters. The accusations about their possible ties to the Kremlin are usually part of the internal political struggle and have no real basis. However, there are indeed political forces in the Baltic states that hold a pro-Russian stance and, in some cases, even defend the interests of Russia in the European political space, becoming an element of the Kremlin’s hybrid strategy aimed o destabilase it. The most influential of them is the Latvian party "Harmony", which retains the largest faction in the parliaments of the last convocations. But the refusal of other political forces to form coalition with it demonstrates the toxicity of such views for the majority of the electorate – so its prospects for influencing state policy are insignificant. Overall, we suggest that there are no effective threats to the unity of the key actors of the Baltic States’ political environment around Ukraine’s support for its fight for independence and the European future.

Have the Baltic Countries Run Out of Labour Reserves?

AbstractThe aim of the article is to study both the magnitude and structure of internal labour reserves in the Baltic countries as well as to discuss potential policy measures that might help to activate these reserves. despite the record-high employment rates recently posted by Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, considerable internal labour reserves can still be found in some population groups. Among upper-middle-aged men, low employment might reflect a low incidence of lifelong learning, inadequate digital skills and rapidly deteriorating health condition. Low employment of youth mirrors the low prevalence of apprenticeships. in Lithuania and Latvia, there is also a postponed entry of young women into the labour market. These internal labour reserves total more than 25,000 people in Estonia, 55,000 in Latvia and 85,000 in Lithuania, corresponding to 4–7% of the total employment. The recent outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic may somewhat increase and change the structure of these labour reserves.

Work accommodations and sustainable working: The role of social partners and industrial relations in the employment of disabled and older people in Estonia, Hungary and Poland

The under-utilization of the labour of disabled and older people is a problem across the European Union (EU) but is most pronounced in Central and Eastern European (CEE) member states, where labour shortages are greatest. This presents a puzzle that is explored with reference to a project with social partners from Estonia, Hungary and Poland, the objective of which was to stimulate debate and actions around the role of industrial relations actors in facilitating work accommodations for disabled and older people. After establishing the extent of the demographic labour crisis in these countries, the policy tools being employed to address it are scrutinized and found wanting. A variety of factors are identified as having contributed to debate in this area: historical legacy, social policy path-dependency, social partner identity and agency, a ‘dead letter’ approach to EU policies, and the limited role of civil society organizations. We examine the potential of the concept of sustainable work, more commonly found in Northern Europe, to influence alternative approaches to the employment of disabled and older people in countries where state, labour and employment relations differ.

Muutused hariduselus ja ajalooõpetuse areng Eesti iseseisvuse taastamise eel 1987–91 [Abstract: Changes in educational conditions and the development of teaching in history prior to the restoration of Estonia’s independence in 1987–1991

Muutused hariduselus ja ajalooõpetuse areng Eesti iseseisvuse taastamise eel 1987–91 [Abstract: Changes in educational conditions and the development of teaching in history prior to the restoration of Estonia’s independence in 1987–1991

The People’s Assembly: Testing the Collaborative (e)-Democracy

This paper aims to critically analyse the Estonian People’s Assembly (EPA), a crowdsourcing initiative carried out from 2013 to 2014. During the project, citizens could participate in decision-making and make proposals for laws and policies on a dedicated web-platform. Additionally, some people were invited for a traditional off-line debate. In that way, the project combined virtual communication tools with traditional discussion to apply the principles of collaborative e-democracy, in which governmental stakeholders and non-governmental stakeholders (such as local communities) join in a deliberative debate. The purpose of this paper is to observe, both, gains and problems of this crowdsourcing initiative. The analysis considered the design of the online space, if people had equal access to it, and the kind of issues proposed. It also applied critical discourse analysis (following Fairclough, 1995) and the index Quality of Understanding (Klinger & Russmann, 2015). As a conclusion, the paper suggests that virtual platforms can increase the quality of deliberative decision-making. However, they can also be seen as regulated “top-down” initiatives (Pellizzoni, 2012). In a wider perspective, the paper aims to contribute to knowledge on, both, positive and negative stances of deliberative crowdsource initiatives in a post-web society.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING OF THE BALTIC COUNTRIES' INHABITANTS IN THE CONTEXT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Since the Baltic countries have joined the European Union, the value of personal satisfaction with life has fluctuated – decreased or increased – along with GDP per capita until the crisis, i.e. until 2009; afterwards, the nature of this dependency started to change across the countries. The novelty of the current research study is the analysis of the people's SWB dependence upon the economic development indicators in the Baltic countries after their accession to the EU, conducted in the context of the results of previous research studies on the topic. The research aim is to review theoretical research studies on the interrelation of people’s SBW and economic development of the country, as well as to analyse the situation in Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. The following research methods were applied: the monographic method and regression analysis. The findings of the research study showed that Estonia was the leader among the three Baltic countries in all the economic development indicators considered, whereas Latvia was behind in all the indicators; moreover, the level of personal satisfaction with life was the highest in Estonia, although, as the results of the regression analysis demonstrated the SWB of people in Estonia was the least dependent on the economic development indicators.

Economic inequality in satisfaction with healthcare in the Baltic countries during and after the economic crisis (2008–2014)

ABSTRACTPublic satisfaction with healthcare systems is an important dimension of healthcare legitimacy. The paper analyzes how satisfaction with healthcare systems depended upon the economic situation of our respondents during and after the economic recession in the Baltic states. The results show that there were no differences in public satisfaction with healthcare between better and worse off people in Estonia (except in 2009). In Lithuania, however, satisfaction among the economically better off was higher compared to other groups between 2008 and 2014. In Latvia, inequality in satisfaction between groups in different economic situations became significant from 2010.

Socio-structural and psychological factors behind car use: Comparing Northern and Eastern Europe

This study explores cross-cultural differences in car travel behaviour in a northern and an eastern European country, namely Sweden and Estonia. We assess the role of country-specific socio-structural circumstances, and the influence of individual motivations, including social values, perceived seriousness of environmental problems associated with car use, and car use reduction intentions, in shaping the frequency of car use for different purposes. The results show that compared to Swedish people, people in Estonia are more dependent on cars in their everyday travel. Our study shows that higher social position is associated with higher frequency of car trips in more stratified Estonian society, but not necessarily where socio-economic differences are less pronounced, as in Sweden. Regarding the relative significance of values and intentions next to socio-economic determinants, values and intentions have a greater explanatory power of car use frequency in Estonia, compared to Sweden. That values and preferences play a smaller role in car travel frequency in the socio-economically more secure Sweden, indicates that car travel is a basic habit, which is not easily discernible through individual values and attitudes in more affluent societies. Differences in car travel frequencies between the respondents from different settlement types in Estonian but no differences between settlement types in Sweden, shows that a country’s broader approach to managing the economic and social viability of its regions, may shape car travel needs and opportunities. The results of this study may have implications in terms of ways of curbing emissions from transportation in different parts of Europe.

The Patient’s Will – Why and for Whom? Forms, Formalisation, and Implementation Issues

If a patient decides they do not wish to receive health care services and would prefer to die, the healthcare service provider is not allowed to provide health care services to the patient under the principle of personal autonomy. In this case, the patient’s will needs to be taken into consideration even when they are currently unable to express it themselves, for instance when the patient is unconscious. In the situations where the patient is unable to express their will on their own, many countries have introduced the use of living wills that are also often called advance directives. A living will is a declaration (usually in writing) on what kind of treatment a person wishes or does not wish to receive in a situation in which they are unable to make decisions on their own, for instance, in the case of unconsciousness or dementia. In addition to preparing a living will, people can also provide future health care directives by assigning a substitute decision maker who can express the person’s presumed will in case of the person being unable to express their decision. The most effective means for ensuring one’s personal autonomy is using a living will, since it is compiled by the person themselves. Although living wills are not common in Estonia, the legislation of the country makes no obstacles for its use. The people of Estonia are also becoming increasingly aware of their rights. People have already turned to notaries with a wish of providing notarial future directives on the provision of health care services or maintenance of their property in the case that they no longer have the capacity to exercise their will themselves. The article discusses the role of a living will near the end of life and also discusses the issues related to its formation and implementation. The last part of the article briefly addresses the instructions related to maintenance of the patient’s assets in the case of incapacity to exercise the will.