Lingue e identità in conflitto: il bilinguismo estone-russo tra storia e attualità

This dissertation examines the phenomenon of multilingualism and multiculturalism in Estonia, addressing the complexities of Estonian-Russian bilingualism and its socio-political implications. It combines the analysis of previously published literature with contemporary empirical data drawn from a survey conducted among Estonian university students. The study provides a comprehensive overview of the phenomenon from multiple perspectives. First, Estonia’s linguistic background is outlined, with particular emphasis on the areas with a higher concentration of Russophones. A consistent analysis is then carried out through a study of the historical roots of the use of Russian, the issue of remembering the Soviet times, and the measures taken by the Estonian government to tackle this issue. The evolution of Estonian language policies and citizenship laws from the late 1980s to the present is also described, in particular the restoration of Estonian as the sole state language. In order to provide an overview of current situation, the research also focuses on an empirical analysis of a survey conducted among 55 university students in Estonia. The students’ attitude toward the Russian language in both academic and everyday environments is investigated, as well as how their backgrounds influence their opinions on current linguistic issues, and whether there have been relevant changes in these perceptions after the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine.