Abstract:

A family environment is crucial for not only learning about the cultural norms, values, beliefs and practices, but also for developing cultural awareness based on the perception of a family as a small social group that has its own past, present, and future. Older generations’ responsibility for the younger generation indicates commitment to a future. The construction of the future in a family is related to a hope as a key motivational source that may determine the processes of shaping future goals. The aim of the research is to explore the impact of cultural knowledge and literacy, obtained in the family as a site of informal cultural socialization and participation, on young people’s future aspirations as well as to analyse family expectations and visions for their children based on the approaching culture as a means for personal growth and cultural intelligence. The study focuses on the social resources (including cultural capital and knowledge) families use for the development of their children and examines deliberate strategies and practices within families to develop cultural literacy (such as enabling children to participate in extra-curricular educational, cultural, and sports activities, learn other European languages, enrol in internationally recognized schools, attend faith-based classes etc.).

In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with representatives of three (in exceptional cases – two) generations from 10 families in the period from September 2019 until January 2020, covering 34 individual family members (12 young people; 11 people from the middle generation; and 11 people from the older generation). The research took place in the south-eastern region of Latvia – Latgale. Families represent geographical differences (urban, rural, semi-urban), various degrees of openness to inter-group communication, and heterogeneous socio-demographic variability.

Families acknowledge that cultural capital accrued up to a certain age (mostly 18 +/–2 years) plays a major role in young people’s lives and career prospects. They encourage and motivate children to pursue opportunities that can raise their cultural competence and develop soft skills. Despite many pressing issues, such as a long-term economic insecurity provoked by a controversial government and public administration and reforms resulting in increased national and international migration, as well as employed people’s tensions in balancing work and personal time, families in Latvia are striving to invest in children’s growth in the hope of a better life for them in the future. Families emphasize the connection between upbringing, education and culture where culture can potentially have a great impact on education, as well as education can affect culture and promote the development of a “Cultured Person”.

Acknowledgement:
The research has been carried out in the framework of the project “Cultural Heritage and Identities of Europe’s Future (CHIEF) supported by the EU.

Keywords:

Family, intergenerational dialogue, cultural competence, youth, sustainability.