Reconstructing the Narrative: History of Education in Post-Soviet Space (Latvia, 1990–2004)

The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 bridged a profound transformation across the Baltic states – Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia – as they emerged from authoritarian control into democratic governance. This “zero hour” offered both liberation and challenge. Historians of education confronted the task of dismantling Soviet-imposed narratives and constructing new national his tories. These new narratives were intended to facilitate the reclamation of national identity, whilst incorporating knowledge from the files of archives and libraries that had previously been subject to communist censorship. Our study showcases the reshaping of historical narrative during the transition from an authoritarian to a democratic setting, focusing on two central components: plot/storyline and actors. Drawing upon a comprehensive content analysis of 8 monographs, 4 article collections, and 4 doctoral theses, all of which were authored in Latvia between 1990 and 2004, the study explores the evolution of narratives of the history of education. The findings indicate several developments pertaining to narrative plot and actors: (1) the liberation from a class-focused educational paradigm; (2) the introduction of actors who were banned, forgotten, and marginalised during the Soviet regime; (3) the liberation from trivialised Marxism in the methodology of history research. By unpacking evolving narratives, the article sheds light on the complexities of rewriting history of education in a post-authoritarian society and underscores the enduring interplay between history, politics, and identity in building democratic futures.