The folk high school movement and social change

• Ville Marjomäki Lahden kansanopisto

DOI: https://doi.org/10.33336/aik.96624

Abstract

In the article, the author examines the significance, characteristics and the changes which have taken place in the 100 years old folk high school movement. He deals with four issues: 1) The folk high school movement as the builder of a national culture, 2) the folk high school at the service of popular movements, 3) the relationship between the folk high schools and the state, and 4) the student structure in folk high schools. Even though the government in Finland provides a lot of support for folk high schools, their functioning continues to be based largely on ideological freedom. Today’s folk high school movement is fully aware of the tensions which inevitably makes its presence felt as between the official position of the folk high schools and their freedom and independent of criticism.