Politiskās elites vieta nacionālās identitātes veidošanā Latvijas sabiedrībā.

National identity in Latvia has been intensively examined. An especially significant step forward in this research was the 3rd United World Congress of Latvian Scientists and the 4th Letonika Congress in October 2011. A serious contradiction was realized within this conference regarding the con-ception of national identity. Notably, that the notion of self-identity is different between scholars and the wider society. It is not clear, how to draw these conceptions closer. National identity - the collective attitude of the society towards civic, loyal values - has not yet developed in Latvia. National identity cannot emerge spontaneously, as it occurs with the early ethnic identity. National identity is constructed, and in this process the role of authorities is of great importance. They strive to influence the strength-ening of identity corresponding to their political views. After the reestablish-ment of Latvia's independence, the ethnopolitics realized by the political elite of Latvia corresponded to the ideology of ethnic, not state nationalism. The devotion of Latvians to their ethnic values has both historical and psychological explanations. In the nineties, ideological pressure from author-ities contributed to these rationalizations. In turn, the other part of society felt political and ideological influence from the ethnic fatherland, Russia. Different ideological and political assumptions split the society even more. Both parts of the society (Latvians and non-Latvians) held to their former identities. The concept of "civic nationalism" as a form of nationalism is different from ethnic nationalism. In it, both Latvians, along with other nationalities living in Latvia must integrate. All the parts of society must leave in the past some part of their former identities: for the Russians, this means the remnants of Soviet thinking, for the Latvians, devotion to their ethnic values as the only ones in this country. The political elites of Latvia have not encouraged this process of mutual acceptance. The integration and national identity development programmes brought forth by the Ministry of Culture of Latvia correspond to an outdated model of ethnic nationalism, and will not be able to unite the society. Only civic values seeking the good for the community as a whole can become a conjunctive principle of the society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]