Education in the shadows. Private tutoring in Soviet Latvia through the lens of autobiographical writing, 1945–1991

Some educational practices, such as shadow education, have historically been under-documented and have left few traces in conventional archives. As a result, historians of education have struggled to explore these non-formal or supplementary forms of teaching and learning. Our research focuses on tutoring practices in Soviet Latvia between the end of the Second World War and the country’s regaining of independence in 1991. Our study is guided by the following research questions: (i) what forms did tutoring assume in Latvia under Soviet occupation, (ii) who were the main actors involved in tutoring in post-war Soviet Latvia, and (iii) what were the reasons behind their engagement in tutoring practices? Using content analysis, we examined 39 autobiographies published in Latvia after 1991. Our study revealed that, apart from some professional teachers who provided tutoring services, in Soviet Latvia there existed a wide array of non-professional tutors and even students who offered assistance without receiving any financial remuneration. By engaging with individual memory and narrative construction, the article contributes to the broader historiography of education and highlights the potential of autobiographical writing to illuminate marginal or neglected domains in the history of education.