Latgale Region Research Articles

LIDAR AND NEW DISCOVERIES OF HILLFORTS IN LATVIA

In the last four years, an explosion-like process of discovering new hillforts has been observed. This has been made possible due to the public availability of LIDAR relief maps and point-cloud data collected in the scanning process. This paper aims to describe the practical process of working with LIDAR data in discovering, describing and registering new hillforts, as well as look for answers to the question of why have so many hillforts (77 in the time from 2018 until 2021) only been discovered now and using remote sensing data. The paper gives an insight into the process of collaboration between professional archaeologists and history enthusiasts that spend countless hours going through LIDAR maps looking for relief transformations characteristic of hillforts. The result of this collaboration is an impressive number on new hillfort sites that change our views on settlement patterns and social processes in Latvian prehistory, especially in the Latgale region. This region has by far the highest number of new hillfort sites and it seems that the reasons for only discovering these hillforts with remote sensing data is related to the ethnic history of the region and the loss of hillfort folklore because of demographic and migration processes.

ANALYSIS OF THE DYNAMICS OF PROSTATE CANCER DIAGNOSIS IN THE REGIONAL HOSPITAL DURING THE PERIOD 2018 – 2022

Prostate cancer is a serious medical problem around the world. In many parts of the world, prostate cancer is the leading cause of morbidity and the second leading cause of death immediately after lung cancer. The largest proportion of cases of malignant prostate tumors is in men aged 60-80 years. The Latgale region has the highest proportion of seniors in the population (22.1%). The aim of this research was to evaluate the dynamics of primary diagnostic results over 5 years period in Daugavpils hospital patients. Objects of the study are 546 patients (men) aged from 47 to 88 years who had a PSA marker and prostate biopsy results (histological responses) collected in the period from 1 January 2018 until 1 July 2022. For quantitative evaluation of histological data, the Gleason score was used, as well as its derivative GRADE (degree of malignancy). To assess the dynamics of the quality of diagnostics of prostate cancer over 5 years, the correlation coefficient between the data on the Gleason score of newly diagnosed cancer and the 5 years period of the study was used. Relationships between PSA values, Gleason scores and patient age were also assessed. The SPSS data Statistics program was used for calculation. Difficulties in diagnosis in older patients were discussed.

VISUAL SEMIOTICS IN THE STUDY OF ART PHENOMENA: SYMBOL AND SYMPTOM

The study aims to use the approach of visual semiotics to analyse the ritual graphic signs of the Rezekne Jewish cemetery as a segment of the city in terms of "signifier" and "signified", or “expression” and “content”. The Star of David, as the dominant sign of the ritual graphics, is gradually losing the status of a sacred symbol and in a series of tombstones confirms the structure of a symptom. The paper is devoted not only to clarifying the cultural and social causes of such changes but also to the study of the mechanism of mutual transitions between symbols and symptoms, the differences in the coding of these types of signs, which has not been done in visual semiotics so far.Theoreticians have hitherto not paid due attention to the study of signs of graves as a segment of the urban environment. Moreover, the theory of visual semiotics also lacks a description of the specificity of signs in ritual graphics. Ritual graphics is an important indicator of the regularity of cultural processes in an ethnically diverse environment. When surveying the Jewish cemeteries of the Latgale region, the difference in the choice of visual graphics in the city and the countryside is obvious. In rural cemeteries that are still in use, the content and structure of verbal messages, as well as decorative graphics are traditional, therefore predictable. In city cemeteries, there is a change in graphics, deviations from tradition, its modification and obvious violations of tradition. Along with the verbal report about the deceased, the ritual graphic, on the one hand, complements it as an integral part, on the other hand, lives an independent life, because the first, and the only sign that the observer notices is the visual or non-verbal sign. In terms of information, the visual sign is noticeably more capacious, as it is older than the verbal and requires much less time for perception. The focus of the study is the divergence between the meanings of the sacred hexagram and the secular yellow star or “badge”, the causal relationships of their use and perception from the point of view of visual semiotics and cultural philosophy - phenomena of symbolization and desymbolization.

Deputāta pļauka: Latvijas Satversmes sapulces deputātu Jura Pabērza un Andreja Bērziņa konflikts 1921. gadā

During the spring of 1921, for the first time in history, the government of Latvia plunged into crisis. As a result of an interpellation by the Latgalian Peasant Party, on the 1st of June, Kārlis Ulmanis’s government fell. On the preceding day, 31st of May, the government responded to the interpellation, and subsequent debates were held, during which an argument between the deputies of the Constitutional Assembly Andrejs Bērziņš representing the Labour Party and Juris Pabērzs from Latgalian Peasant Party was ignited. The dispute escalated into a physical conflict when Bērziņš face-slapped Pabērzs. The research aims at extending the scope of existing perceptions regarding certain spectacular political events during the Constitutional Assembly period. The tasks of the research are a reconstruction of the course of the mentioned political event, as well as an analysis of different views and comments on the respective happening. Sources of the research are Latgalian periodicals published in 1921, such as “Latgalits”, “Jauno Straume” and “Latgolas Vords”. Methods applied: source method and linguistic interpretation method. The research can be classified as regional as the central figures researched are deputies elected from the Latgale region.

Financial literacy of secondary school leavers: a case of Latgale region in Latvia

Financial literacy of secondary school leavers: a case of Latgale region in Latvia

Risk and Protective Factors in Choosing Course Sets in Secondary Education: Perspectives of Career Counsellors and Students from the Latgale Region of Latvia

This paper presents an exploratory study of the perspectives of career counsellors and students on risk and protective factors in choosing course sets in secondary education. The study, conducted in the Latgale region of Latvia, uses a qualitative research design based on a triangulation between the perspectives of school career counsellors and students. Data obtained from interviews with four career counselors and a focus group with six 15–16 year old students from urban and rural schools were analyzed using thematic analysis. The study acknowledges that school career counsellors can serve as a vital resource for Latvian society in managing and addressing the challenges of current educational reform and inequalities in education and career management caused by socioeconomic disparities.

Place Marketing Strategy of Latgale Region Development

In this paper the author has developed place marketing strategy model for Latgale region that could be used as the base for working out programs of social and economic development. The author defines essence and specific of the marketing places conception, analyses Latgale region as marketing object based on segmentation and research of target markets. Interrogatory methods were used to investigate target audience of the region. The results of analysis of Latgale region and the results of the research of its target markets became empirical base for Latgale region place marketing strategy model. The developed place marketing strategy for Latgale region is based on regular and systematic investigation of the condition of the territory and its development tendencies in order to take rational decisions and to choose the priority development directions in the conditions of limited resources in accordance with real or potential demand of the target markets and to allocate the existing resources for its satisfaction.

RESEARCH INTO THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND TERRITORIAL REFORM

The research aims to examine the theoretical aspects of administrative and territorial reform as well as to identify the attitudes of Latgale region residents to implementing the new administrative and territorial reform. The following research methods were employed: qualitative content analysis; analysis of legislative enactments and legal documents; a sociological research method – a survey was conducted to identify the opinions and assessments of Latgale residents about the new administrative and territorial reform; descriptive statistics and the graphical method. The research examined theoretical aspects regarding the division of territory into administrative units as well as the concept and definitions of a municipality as an administrative unit. The research analysed the results of the survey of Latgale region residents and identified the respondents’ assessments of implementing the new administrative and territorial reform.

Regional Identity and Multiculturalism: the Baltic Germans of Latgale in the Early 20th Century Latvian Literature

In the studies of Latvian culture and history, there is a number of investigations dedicated to the influence of Baltic German culture on Latvian culture. Hence the Latgale region was not given due attention in this regard. The role of the Baltic Germans in this region is peculiar due to its specific history, and it is important to study how the Baltic German culture influences the multicultural identity of Latgale. A project of the Latvian Science Council The Baltic Germans of Latgale in the context of socio-ethnic relations from the 17th until the beginning of the 20th century (2020–2021) is devoted to this topic. One of the tasks of the project is the analysis of the image of the Baltic Germans in fiction. In the framework of the research, the works written in the Latvian literary language, the action of which is set in Latgale, are analysed. The focus is on fictional works about Latgale written by two authors – Antons Austriņš (1884–1934) and Ādolfs Ers (1885–1945) – in the first and second decades of the 20th century. The said writers are the first currently distinguished authors narrating in the Latvian literary language, who describe Latgale in a number of their works. Compared to other nationalities (Poles, Russians, Jews), the Baltic Germans are mentioned minimally in their works; moreover, it is a commonplace that in some cases protagonist’s belonging to German descent is not mentioned, which can only be inferred. Although the Baltic Germans belong to the Latgale past, their culture is imperceptibly and harmoniously apparent in Latgale, i.e. it is evident in the castles (castle ruins) and manors as well as in the use of Germanisms by the Baltic Germans, it has determined the location of the Latgale cities and influenced the worldview.

Dianthus superbus as a critically endangered species in Latvia: evaluation of its growth conditions and conservation possibilities.

Dianthus superbus is one of the most endangered species in Latvia and is on the verge of local extinction. Therefore, the aim of this study was to inventory previously identified populations of D. superbus in Latvia and to develop activities to conserve this species in accordance with the results obtained in situ. Expeditions on 18 previously documented locations, according to the data of Nature Conservation Agency, revealed only three existing D. superbus localities in Latvia with a significant number of specimens located in the Latgale region near Silenieki. In 2020, for the first time, two more new D. superbus localities were found in the vicinity of these three approved locations. As it is not possible to create micro-reserves in the existing localities which are mainly located either on roadsides or in a cemetery, additional activities are needed to preserve the D. superbus in Latvia. In vitro culture was initiated from shoot explants obtained in situ, from which, in turn, ex vitro plantings were done in the National Botanic Garden (NBG) and the Botanical Garden of the University of Latvia (BG UL). Their quality and compliance with plants in situ were analysed. Overall, it was concluded that the plants grown ex situ were qualitatively equivalent to those obtained in situ, as a very high percentage of seed viability and germination was found both for in situ and ex situ growing D. superbus. Based on the results obtained we could conclude that D. superbus is a species that is able to adapt to different soils with a wide range of nutrient levels, moisture conditions and pH, as long as there are three main preconditions—adequate lighting, low overgrowth of other plant species and non-destructive human activities.

EVOLUTION OF FACTORS AFFECTING PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING IN THE MUNICIPAL WORK ENVIRONMENT

Employees’ wellbeing and health are very broad concepts, but different kinds of stressors are influencing them. The aim of this research is to identify the risk factors in the municipal work environment of Latgale region and to find solutions for risk reduction. The need for such research is justified by recent research in various countries, which shows that the psychosocial problems adversely affect wellbeing, productivity and health. In addition, forthcoming administrative-territorial reform in 2021 may intensify tensions. 123 employees were surveyed and surveys data were analyzed. It has been found that tension at work is caused by uncertainty about the future career prospects, overload and competition. Sometimes there is a lack of emotional intelligence, insufficient effective communication skills with colleagues and clients, and reassessment of one's affective abilities.

Material Deprivation: a Case of Latvia

Material deprivation has recently gained prominence as a topic of debate as its proliferation is reising throughout Europe in particular in the countries hit hardest by financial and economic turbulences what leads to the gap in material deprivation levels throughout Europe. The aim of the study is to analyze material deprivation in the regions of Latvia. Research methods used in preparation of the paper: scientific publication and previous conducted research results analysis, analysis of anonimised data of EU-SILC survey results and European Central Bank conducted survey on Household income and expenses survey results, results are compared with the results of other EU countries. Survey anonimised data are analyzed using indicators of descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations for regions of Latvia, for urban-rural living and analysis of variance – ANOVA are used. The results of analysis have indicated in what situation are regions of Latvia in the context of material deprivation especially in Latgale region and what are the challenges for decision makers to deal with – more attention for several approaches in reduction of income differences in regions of Latvia.

Measuring multidimensional poverty within the resource-based approach: a case study of Latgale region, Latvia

In modern social science, the concept of multidimensional poverty is considered the most progressive approach to measuring poverty in countries of various development levels, including the developed ones. As an indicator of poverty in the EU, the multidimensional index of the risk of poverty and social exclusion (AROPE) is used, which integrates the indicators of income poverty, material deprivation and exclusion from the labour market. The empirical basis for its calculation is the data of the survey “Statistics of income and living conditions in the EU” (EU-SILC), published by the statistical office of the European Union. Within the framework of this article, the authors tried to contribute to the theoretical and methodological basis for studying the issue of multidimensional poverty by measuring and analysing it within the framework of the resource approach using the empirical data collected by the authors in one of the peripheral regions of Latvia - Latgale, which for many years has had the lowest indicators of economic development in the country. The resource-based approach is founded on the following methodological path: resources available for the people and households can be transformed into capital as a result of its activation and capitalization that, in its turn, can give the person socially economic benefit, i.e., a resource becomes a capital. The methodology of this study involves the application of new concepts: the “resource-poor” (few resources) and the “functional-poor” (low capitalization of available resources), as well as the “resource-functional poor”, who, according to the authors, represent different target groups for the social policy, since they fundamentally differ in terms of both the causes of poverty and the approaches to supporting these groups.

ANALYSIS OF COMMUNICATION OF LATGALE'S LARGEST MUNICIPALITIES ON THE INSTAGRAM NETWORK – A COMPARISON OF DAUGAVPILS CITY AND REZEKNE MUNICIPALITY

The topic of the paper is “Analysis of Communication of Latgale's Largest Municipalities on the Instagram Network – a Comparison of Daugavpils City and Rezekne Municipality”. The paper researches the communication of the largest city and municipality of Latgale region - Daugavpils and Rezekne - on the Instagram network in the period from registration.The aim of the paper is to find out how and for what purposes the municipalities of Daugavpils city and Rezekne use the social medium “Instagram” and what results the communication via this channel have been achieved.The paper consists of two parts - theoretical and empirical. The theoretical part summarizes and analyses theory on the history and development of the social network Instagram, as well as its impact on corporate communication of companies and institutions.The empirical part contains a comparative analysis of communication of Daugavpils city and Rezekne municipality on the Instagram network, analysing the posted information and feedback from network users. Content analysis is used as a research method to achieve the aim.

Paremias of the Latvians and the Russians in Latgale: From the Holy Scripture to Modern Existence

The paper presents a comparative analysis of some selected Latvian and Russian paremias, the bulk of which has been collected in the time period since the 1970s till nowadays in the south-eastern part of Latvia – Latgale, and studied in the context of Latvian proverbs included in folklore collections and phraseological dictionaries, as well as the archival materials of the Latvian Academy of Sciences and works by Latvian folklorists. The aim of the study is to analyse prototypical paremias from the Holy Scripture and trace the history of their existence and further development among the Latvians and the Russians in the Latgale region based on the qualitative data analysis. The conducted research allows concluding that similar worldview patterns of the Latvians and the Russians are to be searched for in Christianity. The analysed proverbs testify to the fact that culture is a unifying factor for different ethnic groups living in the same region.

Medicinal plant use at the beginning of the 21st century among the religious minority in Latgale Region, Latvia

AbstractBackground: As identified by scholars, even when communities co-habit the same natural environment, there may be visible differences due to cultural factors, and thus local knowledge on medicinal plants evolves along with the culture. This paper addresses the complexity of medicinal plant use across different social groups situated in the same natural environment with a focus on a distinct religious minority: Old Believers.Methods: This paper covers ethnobotanical data from 27 villages and populated areas in Dagda Municipality of Latgale, Latvia. The region is highly diverse, especially in terms of language and ethnic groups. In total, seventy-three interviewees were interviewed, of which nineteen represented Old Believers. Results: The number of used taxa among Old Believers (40 taxa) was half of that used by the other local community members such as Latgalians (81) and the multi-ethnic group (77). Because of the scarcity of available materials on plant uses by Old Believers, we speculate that religious characteristics such as self-isolation from other cultures might be one of the reasons for such a difference. On the other hand, historical aspects such as migration and the subsequent need for adaptation to the local flora could also partly explain the low number of medicinal taxa in comparison to the other groups.Conclusions: The study indicates that self-isolation, being a characteristic of Old Believers, potentially plays a role in medicinal plant use. We recommend further research to study in detail aspects of medicinal plant use in self-isolated communities within highly literate societies. Keywords: Latgale, Old Believers, religious identity, ethnobotany, medicinal plant useKopsavilkumsPamatojums: Zinātnieki ir definējusi – pat, ja kopienas dzīvo vienā dabiskajā vidē, kultūras faktoru ietekmē starp tām var veidoties uzskatāmas atsķirības. Tādējādi, attīstoties kultūrai, attīstās arī vietējās zināsanas par ārstniecības augiem. Sajā rakstā aplūkota ārstniecības augu pielietojuma komplicētība un dažādība trijās sociokultūras grupās, kas dzīvo vienā vidē, akcentējot reliģisko minoritāti - vecticībniekus. Metodes: Rakstā apkopoti etnobotāniskā pētījumā iegūti dati no 27 ciematiem un apdzīvotām vietām Dagdas novadā, Latgalē. Izvēlētajā reģionā novērojama liela bioloģiskā un kultūras daudzveidība, īpasi etnisko grupu un valodas dažādībā. Etnobotānikas lauka ekspedīcijas notika 2017. gada jūlijā un to laikā tika ievākti dati, izmantojot daļēji strukturētas intervijas. Tika aptaujāti septiņdesmit trīs intervējamie, deviņpadsmit no tiem bija vecticībnieki. Rezultāti: Vecticībnieku grupa ir izmantojusi pusi (40 sugas) no tā augu sugu skaita, ko izmantojusi citi vietējās kopienas locekļi, piemēram, latgaliesi (81 suga) un daudznacionālā grupa (77 sugas). Sakarā ar to, ka vecticībniekiem pieejamo materiālu par augu lietojumu ir maz, autori pieļauj, ka reliģiskās īpasības, piemēram, pasizolācija no citām kultūrām, varētu būt viens no sādu atsķirību iemesliem. No otras puses, tādi vēsturiski aspekti kā migrācija un nepieciesamība pielāgoties vietējai florai, daļēji varētu izskaidrot zemo izmantoto ārstniecības augu sugu skaitu salīdzinājumā ar citām grupām. Secinājumi: Pētījums rāda, kā pasizolācija, viena no vecticībnieku kultūrai raksturīgām iezīmēm, potenciāli ieņem savarīgu lomu medicīnisko augu izmantosanā. Tādējādi autori akcentē, ka ir iespējami būtiski ieguvumi pētniecībā, izzinot augu lietosanas aspektus tiesi sādās - pasizolētās kopienās, kas pastāv augsti izglītotu, literāru sabiedrību ietvaros. Atslēgasvārdi: Latgale, vecticībnieki, reliģiskā identitāte, etnobotānika, ārstniecības augu izmantosana

Empirical interpretation and measurement of the productivity and efficiency of regions: the case of Latvia

The main concepts of this study are productivity and efficiency, which are very relevant for Latvia and are reflected both in the latest scientific publications, dissertation researches and analytical reviews of the Latvian ministries and representatives of the European Commission in Latvia, as well as in expert reports published in the press. The objective of this article is empirical interpretation and search of the most corresponding to the terminological background method of measuring of the productivity and efficiency of regions, based on a specific example of the regions of Latvia. The results of the previous authors' research showed that the productivity of region is defined as it`s ability to create as many as possible goods or services per unit of time, while the efficiency is the pure economical term that takes into account the amount of the factors of production utilizied in the production process. Productivity / efficiency of a region is not only the sum of the productivity / efficiency of economical units functioning in this region, as contains a certain delta-synergy effect (for factors of production), agglomeration effect (for enterprises) or concentration effect (for industries). Always economically backward Latvia's region (Latgale region) is not with the lowest productivity calculated by the GDP per 1 km 2 of a region's territory-by this indicator less successful in Latvia is Vidzeme region. But by the earnings index, calculated taking into account the sectoral structure of employment in a region, exactly the Latgale region as usually occupies the last place in Latvia, and the Riga region-the first one. To calculate the efficiency of Latvia's regions, the authors relied on neoclassical growth models, which take into account the main classical factors of production-labor, land, capital. By the efficiency in Latvia the Riga region leads expectantly, almost 2 times exceeding the efficiency of Pieriga region, and more than 3 times,-the efficiency of Latgale region. But lowest efficiency in Latvia is not in the Latgale region, but once more in Vidzeme region.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WORK LIFE QUALITY AND SUBJECTIVE FATIGUE AMONG NURSES EMPLOYED IN LATGALE REGION HOSPITALS

Quality of health care, safe working environments, sufficient care staff and adequate remuneration in our rapidly changing world are one of the biggest health care challenges. Quality of working life is a reciprocal process between hospital management and nurses in order to simultaneously improve the staff's holistic well - being, working conditions and the effectiveness of hospital work and care. The impact of internal and external factors in the quality of working life can be directly or indirectly related to subjective fatigue for working nurses. The aim of the study is to find out the connection between the quality of working life of nurses working in Latgale region and subjective fatigue. 219 nurses in the Latgale region participated in the study. There were used two research tools: Job quality assessment questionnaire and Individual strength/fatigue questionnaire. In the study descriptive statistical method is used. Using the non-parametric method and the correlation of Spirmen's rank, the relationship between quality of work and subjective fatigue of nurses is determined. The study concluded that there is a link between quality of work life and subjective fatigue (r = -0.375; p<0.001). The result is theoretically and practically applicable in the hospital to improve the quality of work life for nurses.

THE CONTRIBUTION OF NGOs TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE LOCAL POPULATION - EXAMPLE OF THE ASSOCIATION „KRASLAVAS DISTRICT PARTNERSHIP”

The study evaluates the contribution of non-governmental organizations (hereinafter - NGOs) to the development of local territories, based on the projects available to NGOs financed by the EU structural funds and the state budget in Latvia. Updated information on the impact of non-governmental organizations on improving the quality of life. The experience of the association “Kraslava District Partnership” in investing EU structural funds financing and implementing the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) “Leader Initiative” measure, project tenders in three municipalities of Latgale region has been analyzed. The activity of NGOs, implementation of “Leader Initiative” projects based on EU funds planning periods has been assessed. Proposals are provided to evaluate the contribution of projects implemented by NGOs to improving the quality of life.

Holiday Advertising in the Borderland: The Specificity of Perception in Latgale Region (Latvia) and Pskov Region (Russia)

Holiday advertising is a rather topical object of research that nowadays attracts attention of specialists in various branches opening new perspectives of investigating this phenomenon. One of them is the analysis of the specificity of functioning and perception of holiday advertising in various European and world countries including a comparative perspective of the border zone. The present paper reveals the specificity of the perception of holiday advertising by the example of the south-eastern region of Latvia – Latgale (the major object of the research) and Pskov region that is a part of the north-western federal province of Russia (the minor object of the research) on the basis of interviews carried out in 2018 with the participation of 906 residents of this border area. During the survey, respondents had an opportunity to express their opinion on holiday advertising in general as well as note the positive and negative impacts on a common present-day consumer. Processing of the survey data leads to the conclusion that the notion of holiday advertising in Latgale has been generally crystallized as it is rather often used in daily life, including for the selection of gifts for festive occasions, whereas in Pskov region there is no unified opinion on the essence and significance of holiday advertising yet as, in the respondents’ opinion, its potential is not used to a full extent.