Shadows of Empire: Cultural Heritage as a Battleground for Identity in Former Soviet States

When the USSR collapsed in 1991, former Soviet states faced the challenge of reconciling their suppressed national identities with the cultural and historical legacies of the Soviet era to establish themselves as independent nations. Under Soviet rule, these states experienced significant cultural suppression and demographic changes, particularly through Russification policies that prioritized Russian language, culture, and migration at the expense of native traditions and identities. These legacies left enduring physical and symbolic marks on their landscapes, including Soviet-era monuments, place names, and urban architecture. As these nations sought to reassert their sovereignty, their strategies for addressing their Soviet past diverged, shaped by the extent of demographic change and the presence of minority populations. This study examines how demographic and cultural changes, particularly the presence of ethnic Russians in former satellite states, have influenced how post-Soviet nations navigate their symbolic landscapes. Estonia, with a large Russian-speaking minority, has actively removed Soviet monuments and emphasized Estonian cultural and linguistic identity as unifying symbols. In contrast, Armenia, with its predominantly homogenous population, has retained many Soviet-era symbols, recontextualizing them within an Armenian narrative to balance historical preservation and geopolitical pragmatism. Georgia, grappling with territorial conflicts following significant cultural suppression, has taken a selective approach, removing some Soviet symbols while preserving others as reminders of its complex history. By analyzing the capital cities of Tallinn, Yerevan, and Tbilisi, this study argues that demographic changes during Soviet rule correlate with the intensity of a state's efforts to reshape its Soviet physical legacy. It further emphasizes that cities are microcosms of national identity, where cultural heritage sites serve as focal points for societal debates about history and belonging. Ultimately, this research reframes cultural heritage as a dynamic and politically contested process, demonstrating how states actively reshape symbolic spaces to navigate their past and assert their future identities. The way former Soviet states engage with the tangible remnants of the USSR reveals how socio-political conflicts are embedded within their symbolic landscapes, reflecting their efforts to reclaim identity in the aftermath of an empire.