Identity and values of young people in Narva
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PhD, Associate Professor of Youth Studies, Division of Social Studies, University of Tartu Narva College
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Head of International Relations, Development Office, Narva College of the University of Tartu
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Narva College of the University of Tartu, Lecturer
The identity and values of young people in the city of Narva were studied through semi-structured interviews in 2022, and in a survey of secondary school pupils and students in 2023-2024.
The interviews showed that young people in Narva see themselves in a dominated subject position in the context of Estonia, and in a dominant subject position in the context of Narva. In the context of Narva, they identified themselves according to their cultural capital (Russian mother tongue, Russian cultural background and education in Russian) more as Russians, Estonian Russians or Russian-speaking residents, and in the context of Estonia, they were more concerned with the aspects related to the Estonian state and culture.
Young people of Narva have developed a local identity that is based on cultural capital (Russian and Estonian language skills, cultural competences and networks). They also distinguish themselves from Estonians, the Russians living in Russia and the Estonian Russians living elsewhere in Estonia. At the same time, however, their national identity is still in the development stage and may not become established if the social circumstances change.
Respondents to the survey were grouped into four categories according to their political views: left-liberal, right-liberal, left-conservative and right-conservative. They also defined their ethnicity as Estonian, Estonian-Russian and Russian.
Left-conservatives and right-conservatives felt the strongest emotional connection with Estonia. The assessments the respondents gave to the developments in Estonia and the wider world are rather pessimistic. The number of those who were convinced of positive developments in Estonia and negative developments in Russia was larger among those who considered themselves Estonians than those who identified with Russians and Estonian Russians.
Acceptance of homosexuality among almost three fourths of respondents points to the increasing importance of self-expression values. Left-liberals and conservatives would rather not live in an extreme right neighbourhood. Those who consider themselves more right-liberal or left-liberal are more likely to want to avoid homosexuals and AIDS patients. Right-liberals and conservatives are more opposed to immigrants, Muslims, war refugees and left extremists. Apart from attitudes towards the extreme right, those who considered themselves left-conservatives were the most tolerant towards minorities in the Narva survey.