Hybridization of elite socialization.

This research paper explores the role of political elite socialization in development policy transfer among Latvian local governments. By looking at the complex mechanisms behind policy transfer it tries to show the shortcomings of new institutionalism literature and introduce a new theoretical perspective in studying socialization of exogenous norms–critical realist ontology. Basing on rich fieldwork data–interviews with Local Government Council Chairpersons and international project managers and relevant actors and usage of critical realist framework, it argues that development cooperation on supranational level is based on weaker socialization in EU due to different agent properties (long term political local elites, which are in close relation with the ‘old’ pre- EU LALRG Board members, nostalgia’ for soviet culture, common history–shared by both political elites and project managers, financial possibilities, conditioned by their geographical location.).