Emigration discourse and the quest for identity

The article considers the current upsurge in emigration discourse in contemporary Lithuania and explains this phenomena by relating it to a society-wide quest for national identity. The author argues that interest in emigration and national identity-building are two interconnected issues. The article explains that by examining ever-changing attitudes towards emigration one can recognize mirroring patterns in national identity. An example is provided of a rare Soviet propaganda newsreel from 1968 which addressed the issue of the return of Lithuanian emigrants to their homeland: the documentary is analysed here as a narrative which provides an insight into the soul-searching state of Soviet identity in late 1960s. The article concludes with preliminary remarks concerning the impact of Soviet emigration discourse on views on emigration and homeland in post-communist Lithuania