Patriotism reinvented - The battle over national identity | DW Documentary

The Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, giving rise to Russia and 14 independent states. Now it seems Russian President Vladimir Putin no longer respects the sovereignty of those other nations. That’s led to a new patriotism in the ex-Soviet states.

Latvia has seen the rise of patriotism, coupled with a growing antipathy towards the country’s Russian-speaking minority. Arnis Balčus from Riga has been photographing his homeland for more than 10 years. His works document the change in Latvian society, including a new and powerful rejection of all things Russian.

In Ukraine, politicians have majorly limited the distribution of music by Russian artists. In mid-June, the Ukrainian parliament passed a law banning Russian music by post-Soviet-era artists with exemptions for those explicitly condemning Moscow’s invasion. Many Ukrainian musicians welcomed the measure, and many who previously sang in Russian are now switching to Ukrainian.

In a neighborhood of the Serbian city Novi Sad, on the other hand, resistance to nationalism is growing. After residents in Liman didn’t vote for the governing nationalist party, many walls in the area were suddenly painted in the colors of the Serbian flag. Local residents believe it was the authorities trying to teach them a lesson on patriotism, although the government denies any involvement. Residents have responded by painting over the flags with symbols of their own.

#documentary #dwdocumentary #patriotism #identity
______

DW Documentary gives you knowledge beyond the headlines. Watch top documentaries from German broadcasters and international production companies. Meet intriguing people, travel to distant lands, get a look behind the complexities of daily life and build a deeper understanding of current affairs and global events. Subscribe and explore the world around you with DW Documentary.

Subscribe to:
⮞ DW Documentary (English): https://www.youtube.com/dwdocumentary
⮞ DW Documental (Spanish): https://www.youtube.com/dwdocumental
⮞ DW Documentary وثائقية دي دبليو (Arabic): https://www.youtube.com/dwdocarabia
⮞ DW Doku (German): https://www.youtube.com/dwdoku
⮞ DW Documentary हिन्दी (Hindi): https://www.youtube.com/dwdochindi

For more visit: http://www.dw.com/en/tv/docfilm/s-3610
Follow DW Documentary on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwdocumentary/
Follow DW Documental on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dwdocumental

We kindly ask viewers to read and stick to the DW netiquette policy on our channel: https://p.dw.com/p/MF1G