Feminist and Bourdieu-Based Perspectives on Inclusive Security in Latvia

Abstract

This paper examines Latvia’s response to Russian influence following the 2014 annexation of Crimea and the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, focusing on media restrictions and language reforms affecting the Russian-speaking minority. While these measures aim to strengthen national security, they risk deepening exclusion and reinforcing narratives of discrimination. Drawing on Anne Tickner’s feminist international relations theory and Pierre Bourdieu’s relational sociology, the study argues that security is enhanced not only through defensive policies but also through inclusive identity construction. A historical review highlights Latvia’s long experience of occupation, identity re-creation, and demographic transformation, including the legacy of Soviet-era migration. Approximately one-third of Latvia’s population speaks Russian as a primary language, and a significant minority remains non-citizens. These conditions create vulnerabilities that external actors can exploit through disinformation and diaspora-based narratives. Using a feminist lens, the paper reframes security as multidimensional, emphasizing everyday experiences, citizenship, and social belonging. Incorporating Bourdieu’s concept of the social field, it proposes integrative pathways such as multilingual education, expanded civic participation, and investment in shared cultural capital to embed Russian-speaking residents more fully within Latvian society. Such an approach reduces susceptibility to malign influence while strengthening democratic legitimacy and long-term national resilience.