We didn’t go to Sweden to become Swedes (LV)

Abstract

This publication about Latvians in Sweden is the first book by the National Oral History Project dedicated to the communities of Latvians living outside of Latvia. The book consists of two parts, each representing a different point of view. The academic articles in the first part of the book serve as a viewing tower from which to observe the general outlines of the exile communities in time and space, focusing mainly on identity and community. The life stories in the second part of the book let the reader glimpse historical events from the viewpoints of the actual participants. Stories and story-telling are a significant social and cultural phenomenon in the exile communities, where they shape points of view regarding recent history and group identity.