‘National allegiance’ and spatial behaviour in Baltic boundary twin towns

Abstract

The two boundary twin towns — Narva-Ivangorod (on the Russian-Estonian border) and Valga-Valka (on the Estonian-Latvian border) — share a legacy borne of the Soviet Union era. Both have experienced the displacement of persons, the irrelevance of Soviet Republic boundaries, the strict categorization of ethnic groups, and the supremacy of the Russian language in spite of formal equality between the republics and their populations. Furthermore, the sudden collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, and the ensuing creation of new boundaries now running right through these urban areas has had a very considerable impact. With a point of departure in theories on spatial behaviour, social communication and state territorial integration, the article presents important empirical findings on the respective characteristics of these two urban areas. Special attention is paid to the ethnic dimension and attempts at co-operation on matters such as education, sanitation, and economic development. The article concludes that the enforcement of state boundaries in 1991 has negatively influenced the ability of the inhabitants to engage in cross-border contacts and co-operation. On the other hand, the decrease in cross-border activities is expected to lead to an improved integration of minorities into their respective states of domicile.