Asia Centre's new employee - Lelde Luik

In September, four researchers joined the Centre. Lelde Luik is one of them.

• What is your background and how did you get fascinated by Asia?

My background is in the crossroads of political science and theory. Considering this cultural relativity, I have been interested in how culture and history impact society’s understanding of democracy and what normative ideas on democracy we can develop. Asia to me is interesting as it, similarly to Latvia that I have studied before and as Eastern Europe more generally, has been put in a position of a learner, not of a producer of dominant ideas on democracy in relation to the Western countries. Of course, the trajectories are not similar, but the structural similarities are there, and therefore to look at those different dynamics is interesting.

• What do you do in your research?

Currently, I am developing an article that would explore the idea of cultural and political clashes regarding the notion of ‘democracy’ between certain Asian countries and the West in the context of the war in Ukraine, and Russia’s aggression there.

• What are your cultural recommendations from Asia to our followers?   

At this point, I would very much appreciate cultural recommendations from others, as I am still learning much about the region. I have already discovered that there is more complexity and nuance in thinking normatively about a democratic government in the region, which should not be so quickly dismissed - without dismissing the challenges to democratic rights and liberties there.

Lelde is part of two projects launched in September. The project "Analysis of geopolitical developments in South Asia after the war in Ukraine in cooperation with Singaporean researchers" focuses on Russia’s war in Ukraine and the perception of democracy in Asia (selected states), Russia’s war in Ukraine and the perception of nuclear threat in South Asia (India, Pakistan), evolving perceptions, foreign policy analysis, (geo)political dynamics in South Asia, Russia’s war in Ukraine as a multidimensional trigger in Asia’s political dynamics. "The Political, Economic and Cultural Role of Asia in Northern and Eastern Europe" focuses on othering, the relationship between economy and culture, and politics and culture in the context of the interactions between Asian states and Estonia (with extension to the other states in the region), comparative studies, migration