The purpose of this study is to explore the identity-building process in Moldova which is expected to show a type of post-soviet identity building process. Post-soviet identity building processes have been diversified based on traditional national identity, anti-Russia identity, and post-modern values. The question of post-soviet identity deserves special attention as it constitutes not only the basis of the emotional community of individuals/groups, but also directions of political, economic, and social orientations of a state in transition. In Moldova, Romanian, Pro-Russian, Moldovan, and Dniestrian identities have formulated through the history. The Romanian identity is closely linked with pro-EU tendencies particularly with Romania's admission to the EU. By contrast, Pro-Russian attitude has often indicated pro-CIS inclination. In Moldova, post-Soviet transition demolished the Soviet identity that had successfully contained the conflicts between the two. As a result, conflicts between various identities have initiated since the late 1980s, which can be divided into three stages where Romanian identity (1988-1993) and Moldovan identity (1994-2000), ‘dual identity’ (2001-2009) have been sought to be established. Identity-building process, however, has been a thorny path, mainly being initiated from above. Furthermore, efforts to build a dominant identity has evoked challenges from other identities or international parties concerned. For instance, Moldovan identity faces a strong challenge from Romanian identity that is said to be hardly discernable. Pro-Russian identity may claim Romanian/EU economic supports that staggering Moldovan economy is unable to afford. As a result, rapprochement has been pursued between the leading political party of Communist of Romania (PCM) and pro-Romanian Christian Democratic People's Party (CDPP) since 2008, though a common identity is still to be formulated.

The purpose of this study is to explore the identity-building process in Moldova which is expected to show a type of post-soviet identity building process. Post-soviet identity building processes have been diversified based on traditional national identity, anti-Russia identity, and post-modern values. The question of post-soviet identity deserves special attention as it constitutes not only the basis of the emotional community of individuals/groups, but also directions of political, economic, and social orientations of a state in transition. In Moldova, Romanian, Pro-Russian, Moldovan, and Dniestrian identities have formulated through the history. The Romanian identity is closely linked with pro-EU tendencies particularly with Romania's admission to the EU. By contrast, Pro-Russian attitude has often indicated pro-CIS inclination. In Moldova, post-Soviet transition demolished the Soviet identity that had successfully contained the conflicts between the two. As a result, conflicts between various identities have initiated since the late 1980s, which can be divided into three stages where Romanian identity (1988-1993) and Moldovan identity (1994-2000), ‘dual identity’ (2001-2009) have been sought to be established. Identity-building process, however, has been a thorny path, mainly being initiated from above. Furthermore, efforts to build a dominant identity has evoked challenges from other identities or international parties concerned. For instance, Moldovan identity faces a strong challenge from Romanian identity that is said to be hardly discernable. Pro-Russian identity may claim Romanian/EU economic supports that staggering Moldovan economy is unable to afford. As a result, rapprochement has been pursued between the leading political party of Communist of Romania (PCM) and pro-Romanian Christian Democratic People's Party (CDPP) since 2008, though a common identity is still to be formulated.

Moldova, Identity, Dual Identity, Pan-Romanianism, Transition in Socialist Countries