Fully Appreciated with Time? The Role of the United States of America in Latvia’s Security Discourse
Fully Appreciated with Time? The Role of the United States of America in Latvia’s Security Discourse

Author(s): Diāna Potjomkina
Subject(s): Political history, International relations/trade, Security and defense, Peace and Conflict Studies
Published by: Masarykova univerzita nakladatelství
Keywords: USA; Constructivism; Post-structuralism; Latvia; Security policy;
Summary/Abstract: What has been the role of the United States of America in Latvia’s security discourse? According to the official, and academic, interpretation, it is first and foremost a “strategic partnership,” a highly trustworthy guarantee of Latvia’s national independence. However, a more in-depth analysis allows us to deconstruct this concept of partnership and to elucidate alternatives, showing the broad spectrum of discourses and sub-discourses which underlie Latvian-American relations. This article shows how the narrow, “traditionally” military-strategic concept of security relations with the US has been defended and contested by different official and non-official actors in Latvia, and what changes (if any) have appeared over the years.

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