ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to provide contextual information for the analysis of social exclusion and inclusion of young adult immigrants in Estonia. We analyse political, economic and social developments and changes after the re-establishment of the Estonian Republic, and the position of different ethnic groups living in Estonia in general, and in its capital Tallinn in particular, within those changes. The chapter also includes an overview of the available data and previous research carried out on this topic. The topic of ethnic relations and integration has been a focus of Estonian social science research for the last 15 years, since the break-up of the Soviet Union. The most important sources are listed in the References section at the end of the chapter. The Estonian Integration Fund has commissioned integration monitoring surveys every two or three years (2000, 2002, 2005, 2008). In addition, registry data are extensively available in the areas of employment (Estonian Labour Force Survey, quarterly since 2001) and the naturalization process (annual Citizenship and Migration Board statistics). During the last population and housing census in 2000 in Estonia, several characteristics such as ethnicity, mother tongue, place of birth and religion were registered, which provides a socio-economic snapshot of Estonian society. Sections on the political and legal context as well as issues of discrimination, culture and identity largely rely on integration monitoring surveys and other surveys carried out by Estonian social scientists.
