Ethnic Questions

In this fast-paced and surprisingly timely roundtable, Vladimir Socor of Moldova (Romania) who currently resides in Germany but is a US citizen associated with the Washington-based Institute for Advanced Strategic and Political Studies, Dzintra Bungs of the Latvian Institute of International Affairs, and Ukrainian Bohdan Nahaylo talk about issues related to self-determination. They candidly discuss the often condescending view of the West towards the Balkan states and raise troubling questions about the West's apparent hypocrisy vis-a-vis self-determination as evidenced by the discrepancy between some Western states' principles and self-interest, their application of different standards to different would-be states, and their tendency to change the rules mid-game. The speakers also commented on the illusion of a "Soviet people," the myth of communism, and on the imperial nature of Russification. You're bound to find resonances with current events in the Middle East.