I love to observe societal processes, today and in times long past. Having begun from afar, by acquiring a doctorate in history from Cambridge, I have gradually worked my way to studying the public life of my society, looking for solutions to policy problems and major attitude shifts. Since 2004, I work at the Centre for Public Policy PROVIDUS in Riga, because this is a place where I can indulge my passion for controversy.
An ardent individualist, I do not shun disagreement with the majority. Authority is my greatest allergy. So far I have not discovered a person with whose opinion I am disinclined to argue - with the important exception of my two cats, Tullius Philip and Gareth.
Skolotāju tolerances barometrs
Pētījuma gaitā tika izvērtētas skolotāju attieksmes pret tolerances audzināšanu skolā un pret pašu skolotāju lomu tolerances veicināšanā.
Blogā Parallels of Racist Talk 13
On 4 November, the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera quoted Gianfranco Fini, a prominent figure in the National Alliance party. There would be nothing unusual in the fact, if it were not for the content of Mr Fini's statements. Three days after the arrest of a Romani man accused of murdering an Italian woman, Mr Fini made a point of stating that a) 'They (the Roma) consider theft almost legitimate and not immoral'; b) They feel the same way about not working 'because it has to be (their) women who do so, often by prostituting themselves.' Mr Fini further made some points concerning child exploitation being a thing about which the Roma have 'no scruples', using the children for begging. He then concluded his statements by the remark that 'To talk of integration with people with a 'culture' of that sort is pointless.' Lasi
Blogā The People's Virtues 8
This Monday, I was at a conference where a professor of ethics declared that there is nothing wrong about praising the traditional ethic of one's ethnic group - what she referred to as 'the people's virtues'. Lasi
Blogā Sticks and Stones 6
As a student of English very long ago, in my teacher's apartment just across the street from the place where I work now, I learned a scary saying. It went like this: "Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me". I disagreed with it then. I still disagree with it now, because words hurt. And hurtful words repeated many times over, by many people, hurt a lot. Lasi
Blogā Ceremonies of what? 1
This week I was at a seminar where representatives of government institutions responsible for the integration of migrants in EU countries presented their ideas on the symbolic aspects of citizenship and the content of common values. The topic sounded interesting, and I have to confess I expected a genuine discussion on what makes up the core of democratic citizenship and related values in our societies, and how governments could strengthen the appeal of civic participation for recent migrants. The discussion, however, turned out to be about vastly different issues. Lasi
Nav mūsējie. Izslēdzam! 11
Gan deputāti, gan masu mediji bieži izplata izslēdzošu un neiecietīgu retoriku par dažādu grupu un minoritāšu vietu sabiedrībā, tā radot šķēršļus demokrātiskās līdzdalības izpratnei. Lasi
Izaicinājums pilsoniskajai līdzdalībai. Starpziņojums par 2007. gada martu - jūniju 2
Ziņojumā apkopoti mediju monitoringa, Saeimas debašu monitoringa un likumdošanas iniciatīvu monitoringa rezultāti. Lasi
Historia magistra vitae 2
An interview with Marie-Christine Skuncke, an author of several leading studies on political communication and political culture during the Enlightenment, by Marija Golubeva, Providus researcher Lasi
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Pārģērbušies specdienesti un ‘otboj’ 4
Ģenerējot homogēnas, nevaldāmas, saniknotas krievu minoritātes tēlu un mētājoties ar sazvērestības teorijām, mediji demonstrē savu nespēju tikt galā ar sabiedrības un politikas sarežģīto dabu. Lasi
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Par popularitāti un garīgumu 19
Ja valdība pakļausies dažu konfesionālo kopienu līderu un radikālo organizāciju spiedienam, tas praktiski nozīmēs tikai vienu — naidīga attieksme pret vienu no sabiedrības mazāk aizsargātām grupām iegūs zināmu valstisku akceptu. Lasi