Authors

Discussion

In recent years the development of local neighbourhoods and communities in Riga, Latvia has become a political agenda. A part of the aims desired to achieve are increased sense of belonging and engagement of local societies to strengthen local democracy. Traditionally, numerous scholars have recognized a strong connection between vibrant and active civil societies and the successful functioning of democracies. This linkage is considered inseparable by many researchers, highlighting the intrinsic connection between the two elements. At the same time, a common civil society debate is related to the distinction between formal and informal ties among the people. In this article, my argument is that the informal connections within the local community lead individuals to prioritize their social relationships over their political beliefs, thus overshadowing formal, state-intended aspirations. As a result, it shows that communities produce localized and apolitical forms of solidarity, contradictory to the national and global narratives. Through anthropological research techniques, such as ethnographic fieldwork, we can identify the connections between local communities embedded in complex and unresolved regional histories, which significantly influence formal aspirations. The article is based on the analysis of data from ethnographic fieldwork conducted in neighbourhoods in Riga, Latvia over 6 months.