The study, titled “Intercultural stereotypes and prejudices in Latvian society” asked 1,009 people to evaluate thirteen groups within society, defined by ethnic, geographic, racial or religious characteristics. The groups were Latvians, Russians, Ukrainians, the Swedish, Americans, Jewish people, Uzbeks, Chinese, Indians, Roma, Africans, and Muslims.
The survey shows that the Roma and Muslims are held in the most suspicion in all criteria. Many respondents (nearly 40-50%) would not accept Indians, Chinese people or Africans as potential family members.
He pointed out that the prejudice against Roma people is inherited from history. While Muslims of different nationalities and Uzbeks mostly represent one religion, the results of the study show that attitudes toward them are different. This is probably due to the fact that Uzbekistan was part of the Soviet Union and one of the so-called “fraternal republics”, which makes it easier for Latvians to understand them.
However, as opinion groups, Latvians and Russians are very different, because there are differences in political and geopolitical thinking, while the emotional and interpersonal distance is very small or non-existent.
