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A scholarly journal and news magazine. October 2016. Vol. IX:3. From the Centre for Baltic and East European Studies (CBEES), Södertörn University. The ups and downs of the Baltic Sea region BALTIC WORLDSbalticworlds.com Speaking up! ○ Rap music in the Balkans ○ LGBT in Lithuania ○ Verbal extremism in Russia also in this issue Illustration: Karin Sunvisson GEORGIAN ART SCENE / ROMA AND THE HOLOCAUST / GREEN BRIDGE OF VILNIUS / EUROPEANIZATION IN UKRAINE Sponsored by the Foundation BALTIC for Baltic and East European Studies WORLDSbalticworlds.com editorial in this issue New voices. Echoing voices appers have become postwar public by David Gaunt, who reflects on intellectuals who aim to provoke the ethical and moral dilemmas social change and contribute to the scholars can experience when they progress of these societies after a encounter the standpoints of politi- Rperiod of violent conflict. Dragana Cvetanović cal activists: in particular, when argues, in her peer-reviewed article, that Bal- conducting research into genocide kan hip-hop is a form of cultural activism that — and not least when the aim is to mobilizes people for social change: “Rap lyr- build a collective memory for all ics and the public discussion led by rap artists of Europe’s Roma on the basis of might be regarded as the micro public sphere the experience of genocide during encompassing younger generations”. World War II. In a peer-reviewed Partisan war New voices are raised calling for change. article, he discusses whether some in Lithuania Something is happening. Is it spreading? voices are excluded from the mak- Some partisans used Ausra Padskocimaite reports on Baltic Pride ing of history and if researchers are what must be de- in Lithuania and shows how, slowly but steadi- contributing to silencing the past? scribed as terrorist measures ly, the LGBT movement is spreading and win- when they killed the families of ning new allies. In addition to younger people, IN GEORGIA the past is silenced “the defendants.” Page 49 Baltic Pride has also attracted families with chil- without resistance. Demolition dren and even some elderly people. As a result, has become a common practice in more LGBT persons were able to join this year’s the center of the Georgian capital. Baltic Pride without fear of retribution. Francesco Martínez also finds an There are also other voices addressing the ignorance of the past in the Geor- masses: voices that could be interpreted as chal- gian art scene. The new generation lenging democratic values such as tolerance. is not repairing anything; instead And yet, isn’t the ultimate sign of democracy the they are starting from scratch, con- right to free speech? It appears to be a fine line. structing a new art scene through In a peer-reviewed article, Dmitry Dubrovskiy approximations. Martínez sees the discusses the use of linguistic experts in Russian act of repairing as both a practical courts to determine whether texts are xenopho- act of restoration, and a moral deci- bic statements or whether they have a hidden sion to remember. agenda and are agitation and propaganda in In this issue of Baltic Worlds we Fashion in the disguise. This method, according to Dubrovskiy, try our best to silence neither the Soviet Union “places the expert in the uncomfortable position past nor the present; to listen to new Soviet fashion became of being either a ‘bard of common sense’ or a voices calling for change as well as organized to respond ‘constructor of extremism’” — to say nothing of the multitude of echoing voices tell- to needs for hygiene, comfort, the question of the limits of freedom of speech. ing us about different pasts.≈ durability, and beauty.” The role of the researcher is also discussed Ninna Mörner “ Page 87 PEER-REVIEWED ARTICLES have undergone a double-blind peer-review by at least two independent specialists. A peer-reviewed article pub- lished in BW generates one publication point for the authors and their institutions in the Norwegian bibliometric register (DHB). Baltic Worlds is an Open Access Journal and all content is freely available without charge to the user or his/her institution. More information is available on our website. What you read in the footers is the voice of the editor. Not that of the authors. contents 3 colophon Baltic Worlds is a scholarly journal and news magazine published by the Centre for Baltic and East European essays lecture 4 LGBT in Lithuania. One step forward, one 73 Policymaking in Russia. Marina Studies (CBEES) at Södertörn step back, Ausra Padskocimaite Khmelnitskaya University, Sweden. 20 Art in Georgia. Repairing or cutting off the past, Francisco Martínez conference reports Editor-in-chief 77 Cultural memory. Tora Lane 78 Green Bridge in Vilnius. Memory studies, Ninna Mörner 81 Reflections on identity. Olga Rasa Navickaité Publisher Gontarska Joakim Ekman peer-reviewed articles Scholarly editorial council 10 Experts in Russian courts. Detecting reviews 82 Russia beyond modernization. Thomas Andrén, Södertörn verbal extremism, Dmitry V. Dubrovskiy Antony Kalashnikov University; Sari Autio-Sarasmo, 26 Rap musicians in the Balkans. Public 83 Decolonial view on Baltic drama. Aleksanteri Institute, Helsinki; intellectuals for social change, Dragana Madina Tlostanova Sofie Bedford, UCRS, Uppsala Cvetanović 87 Soviet fashion. Anna Krakus University; Michael Gentile, 37 Silencing the past. Clashes between 89 Russian minorities under Helsinki University; Markus Huss, historians and activists, David Gaunt pressure. Ingmar Oldberg Södertörn University; Katarina 54 Fuzzy regionalism. Identity and borders Leppänen, CERGU, University of the Baltic Sea region, Norbert Götz last page of Gothenburg; Thomas Lundén 92 More or less free elections. Sofie (Chair), CBEES; Kazimierz feature Bedford 49 Partisans in Lithuania. Dealing with a Musiał, University of Gdańsk; traumatic past, Påhl Ruin Barbara Törnquist-Plewa, Centre for European Studies, Lund commentaries University 68 Åland in the midst. Manne Wängborg Copyediting/proofreading 70 Europeanization in Ukraine. Hans Tony Crawford, Semantix AB; Wåhlberg Brian Manning Delaney, English Proper; Stephen Sanborn, Proper English AB; Bridget Schäfer Layout Welcome aboard, Thomas Andrén Sara Bergfors, Lena Fredriksson, Baltic Worlds welcomes and how we, the inhabitants of the drainage Serpentin Media Thomas Andrén, associ- area, affect this sensitive ecosystem today.” Illustrators ate professor of Marine He is currently leading three international Karin Sunvisson, Ragni Quaternary Science at research projects. Baltic Worlds is look- Svensson, Moa Thelander Södertörn University as a ing forward to adding Thomas Andrén’s Subscription new member of the Scholarly expertise. Sofia Barlind Editorial Council. His main research interests are At the same time we would like to express Print by quaternary stratigraphy and paleoclimatology, our gratitude to Monica Hammer, Environ- Elanders Sverige AB sedimentology and, perhaps above all, the qua- mental Studies, Södertörn University, who Print: ISSN 2000-2955 ternary development of the Baltic Sea basin. has been an active member of the Scholarly Online: ISSN 2001-7308 “If we understand the geological history Editorial Council since the start of the journal Contact Baltic Worlds better, we also understand to what extent Baltic Worlds. [email protected] The content expresses the views of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the views of Baltic Worlds. 4 essay IN POST-CONDITIONALITY LITHUANIA ONE STEP FORWARD, ONE STEP BACK by Ausra Padskocimaite n June 18, 2016 a march for LGBT (lesbian, gay, bi- nia’s history, an event celebrating LGBT rights resembled similar sexual and transgender) rights, known as the Baltic events in more progressive countries. Pride parade, took place in Lithuania’s capital, The question remains, however, whether the changing face of Vilnius. It was the third time that such an event has the Baltic Pride represents a changing situation for LGBT persons been organized in Lithuania during its 26 years of independence in Lithuania. In 2012, Inga Aalia and Kjetil Duvold described the and 12 years of European Union (EU) membership. In contrast to situation of the LGBT minority in Lithuania as “fear and loathing”, the previous Baltic Pride parades (in 2010 and 2013), this time the pointing out homophobic attitudes and a lack of tolerance among Municipality of Vilnius did not contest the details of the event, the population and the political elites, as well as attempts by the and for the first time it could take place without the intervention latter to amend laws and ban public events promoting tolerance of national courts. This was also the largest of the three parades of LGBT persons.5 According to the International Lesbian and Gay, with 2,000 to 3,000 participants marching through Gediminas Trans and Intersex Association’s (ILGA) ranking of 49 countries, in Avenue, the main street of Vilnius.1 2012 Lithuania had a higher rating than such countries as Italy, Es- The Baltic Pride took place a few days after the Orlando night- tonia, Greece, Poland, Cyprus, Latvia, and Malta. 6 This year Lith- club shooting in the United States. The news of the shooting uania was ranked 38th — the second worst among the EU countries resulted in numerous hateful reactions, mainly in the form of (its neighbor Latvia was the worst EU member).7 For comparison, online comments, but this seemed to encourage people to show Malta was the best and Azerbaijan was the worst place to be an support for the tolerant atmosphere manifested at the Baltic LGBT person in the past 12 months. Pride event.2 “Many people decided to show solidarity and took part in the march”, noted Birute Sabatauskaite, director of the WHAT SHOULD ONE make of Lithuania’s deteriorating position in Lithuanian Center for Human Rights.3 In addition to younger ILGA’s ranking? First of all, a comparison in time is not always people, this year’s Baltic Pride march also attracted families with straightforward since changes in methodology are difficult to ac- children and even some elderly persons.