Identities of National Minority Youths in the Vilnius Region: From Regional to Supranational

Youth in the Vilnius region (Eastern Lithuania) feel strong tensions between their regional and supranational (European) identities. The former was handed down to them by their parents, grandparents and local community via social memory which was expressed as narratives. The latter is being formed by forces such as globalisation, mass media and EU institutions, just to name a few.

The data I will present was collected during my anthropological fieldwork in the rural areas of the Vilnius region (from 2017 to 2019 and again in 2024), focusing on biographical interviews, observation, and participant observation among the young people I studied.

Drawing on social memory (Assmann 2006) and identity theory, I will argue that because of historical circumstances in the region, older generations (who were born and grew up during the Soviet period) have a strong regional identity. These people call themselves locals (tutejszy in the local language). They tried to hand down regional identity to their children and grandchildren via narratives.

The young people (born after 1990) often understand regional identity as indicating low social status, even being shameful. They try to distance themselves from regional identity and instead emphasise being European or a citizen of the world.

During my presentation, I would like to explain in detail how young people deal with “shameful” regional identities and why and how youth create their supranational identities.

This project has received funding from the Research Council of Lithuania (LMTLT), agreement No S-PD-24-57 2024-01-22 (Identities of National Minority Youths: From Regional to Supranational (the Case of Šalcininkai District)).