“A Minority Suffering Discrimination”: Young Karelian Activists
Abstract
The article examines the ethnic mobilisation of young Karelian speakers of Karelian family heritage aged between 18 and 35. One can identify as Karelian from several premises. The young people examined here regard Karelians as separate from Finns – a view that is in stark contrast with the traditional and more general perspective that considers Karelians part of the Finnish people. We analyse how the young people identify themselves with Karelianness, and how they contribute to a social movement that aims to strengthen the position of the Karelian language in Finland and disseminate knowledge about Karelianness. The sources consist of interviews, oral history collections, and social media publications. Family heritage and Karelian language are essential features of Karelianness for the young people. Some are very active in social media, where they take a stand on issues such as language politics and discrimination against minorities. In addition to individuals’ activism, the young Karelians founded an association in 2019 to impact decision making and generate cultural and lingual activities. The young Karelians draw influence from international ethnopolitical movements. The mobilisation of young Karelians is an ongoing process that draws elements from the past and challenges mainstream perceptions of history.
Keywords: Karelianness; ethnic mobilisation; identification; activism; social media; young; minorities
