The Role of the Soviet Past in Post-Soviet Memory Politics through Examples of Speeches from Estonian Presidents

Kirsti Jõesalu

Europe-Asia Studies, 2012, vol. 64, issue 6, 1007-1032

Abstract: This article analyses the dynamics of memory politics in post-Soviet Estonia from the 1990s to the present day. It focuses on speeches by Estonian presidents, which are treated as a specific type of commemorative activity and studied in relation to other social memories. The analysis seeks to link the meaning conveyed in the speeches to the presidents’ personal experiences during the Soviet period. The article shows that in these speeches, the primary discourse used with regard to Soviet times was that of ‘rupture’ as well as the related discourse of ‘resistance’. The preparation of the article was supported by the Estonian Science Foundation Grant No. 8190 and by the European Union through its European Regional Development Fund (Centre of Excellence of Cultural Theory). I am grateful to two anonymous reviewers for their comments. I would also like to thank Ene Kõresaar for her useful comments and the Europe-Asia Studies editorial team for its work.

Date: 2012
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DOI: 10.1080/09668136.2012.691723

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