Two in One: Mixing national identities in Latvia
National identity is a complex idea. Its definitions cannot be considered solid or finalized. On the surface, national identity is how a person identifies with their own nationality, and how the person feels like they belong to the country. (Triandafyllidou, 1998, p.595) This can be further fleshed out through multiple aspects, like culture, religion, and language. But how do things change once multiple identities are put into the picture? This leads to the deeper concept of national identity, which is how it generates a sense of uniqueness, and how it drives people of a country to strive towards setting themselves apart from others. This blog post will strive to connect this idea of national identity and uniqueness to the country of Latvia. As a former member of the Eastern Bloc of countries, Latvia has a complex national identity. Much of the country’s past has affected its position in the present. It would be accurate to describe the overall Latvian national identity as somethin...
