LU 76. konference: tēzes un raksti

Krājumu veido LU Filozofijas un socioloģijas institūta pētnieku Latvijas Universitātes 76. starptautiskās zinātniskās konferences sekciju darbā 2018. gada 15. un 16. februārī nolasīto prioritārajam projektam “Kritiskā domāšana, inovācija, konkurētspēja un globalizācija” veltīto referātu tēzes, kā arī vairāki raksti, kuri tapuši uz šajā konferencē nolasīto referātu pamata. LU FSI pētniekiem konference bija ne tikai atskaite par otrajā pētniecības gadā projektā paveikto, bet tajā pētnieki diskutēja arī par to, kā paplašināt pētāmo tēmu loku, pievēršoties vairākiem Latvijas sabiedrībai aktuāliem jautājumiem. Piemēram, ja Filozofijas un socioloģijas institūta filozofi projekta 1. posma noslēguma seminārā pārsvarā diskutēja par kritiskās domāšanas konceptu un tās lietojuma iespējām, tad LU 76. konferencē jau iezīmējās noturīga interese par kritiskās domāšanas un medijpratības sasaisti, kas 2018. gada beigās noslēdzās ar ekspertu semināru cikla organizēšanu sadarbībā ar Eiropas Kopienas pārstāvniecību Latvijā. Vairāki pētnieki pievērsās jautājumam par inovācijas iespējām humanitārajās zinātnēs utt. Konferences referāti atspoguļoja dažādas pieejas un metodoloģijas, sniedzot ieskatu vēl nepabeigtajos pētījumos, bet tikai to norisē un pirmajos rezultātos. Pētījumu gaitai lasītājs aicināts sekot turpmākajās LU FSI pētnieku zinātniskajās publikācijās

The Social Construction of Ethnic and National Identities in Interaction: the Case of Latvia

Promocijas darba „Etniskas un nacionalas identitates sociala konstruešana mijiedarbiba: Latvijas gadijuma izpete” petnieciskais jautajums ir: vai un ka etniskas un nacionalas identitates diskursivajas manifestacijas paradas individu ricibspeja un dažadas ideologiskas ietekmes, ka ari - vai un ka identitates diskursivas konstrukcijas atškiras dažadas situacijas un ka tas ietekme interakcijas konteksts. Veiktas diskursu analizes teksta materials ir fokusa grupu diskusiju (kopuma 24 fokusa grupu diskusijas) transkripti un Interneta portala „Delfi” latviešu un krievu versijas diskusijas par etniskajiem jautajumiem. Petijuma rezultata secinats, ka interakcijas konteksts – sarunas tema, socialas kontroles iespejamiba, anonimitates limenis, interakcijas žanrs – butiski ietekme etniskas un nacionalas kategorizacijas interakcija. Promocijas darba teoretiska pieeja ir sociala konstrukcionisma perspektiva balstitu radniecigu teoriju sinteze, kuras pamata ir kritiskas diskursivas psihologijas pieeja, kas autorei lauj konceptualizet un petit ricibspejas un ideologijas izpausmes etniskas un nacionalas identitates diskursivajas manifestacijas. Atslegvardi: etniska un nacionala identitate, diskursu analize, interakcijas konteksts, ricibspeja, ideologijaThe research question of the PhD thesis „The Social Construction of Ethnic and National Identities in Interaction: the Case of Latvia” is how within discursive constructions of ethnic and national identities among the Latvian and Russian language communities an agency of language users and different ideological influences are manifested, as well as – how discursive constructions of identity differ in various circumstances and how they are influenced by the context of interaction. The empirical basis of the discourse analysis are transcripts of focus group discussions (in total 24 focus group discussions) and discussions on ethnic issues in both the Latvian and Russian versions of the Internet news portal „Delfi”. The study reveals that the context of interaction – topics, a level of social control and anonymity, a genre of interaction – significantly impacts manifestations of ethnic and national categorizations. The theoretical approach of the study is based on the synthesis of several theories within the perspective of social constructionism, including the theory of critical discursive psychology, which allows to conceptualize and study elements of ideology and agency in the discursive manifestations of ethnic and national identities. Key words: ethnic and national identities, discourse analysis, context of interactions, agency, ideolog

The Adaptation Strategies of Highly Skilled Latvian Migrants: The Role of Pre-Migration Cultural Capital and Typical Pathways to Labour-Market Upper Positions

This article analyses the strategies of adaptation used by highly skilled Latvian migrants to make the best of their situation abroad. As empirical data, 26 semi-structured in-depth interviews with highly skilled Latvian nationals in finances, management, IT and the health sector are analysed. The study reveals how migrants negotiate the value of their cultural capital in the new country’s labour market. Different adaptation strategies are typical for the pre-migration phase, the phase of transition and initial settlement and of establishment in the host country. The main conclusion of the study is that pre-migration cultural capital (education, work experience, language knowledge and general and specific skills) is important but not sufficient to be successful in new country’s labour market – in the UK, Germany, Norway and the USA. The labour-market outcomes are a result of the interplay between migrants’ individual resources and decisions on extensive investments in country-specific human capital and structural constraints – such as typical recruitment patterns in a particular occupation and host country

Perceived Discrimination of Highly Educated Latvian Women Abroad

The aim of this paper is to answer the question of what factors lead to an increase in perceived discrimination in the workplace among highly educated Latvian women abroad. Although highly educated migrant women are privileged with regard to education, nonetheless, they face discrimination, lower wages, inferior working conditions, de-skilling and brain waste while working abroad. Based on the discussion on the relationship between sociocultural integration and discriminatory practices or perceived discrimination, and two competing theoretical propositions regarding the effects of integration on perceptions and experiences of discrimination, the article tests if attachment to the host country is related to perceived discrimination at work. The data source used for the analysis is a subsample of a quantitative survey of Latvian emigrants. The subsample (n = 2332) includes Latvian women with a tertiary education who are first-generation emigrants from Latvia and who were working at the time of the survey. Results from binary logistic regression analyses reveal that a low attachment to the host country, financial difficulties coping with daily expenses, problems with recognition of an education certificate and lack of a written contract with the employer increase the likelihood of highly educated Latvian women abroad to claim unfair treatment in the workplace