The governance of the COVID-19 pandemic in Finland in 2020-2022: Aims and modes of governance and their uses
Governance related to the COVID-19 pandemic in Finland revolved around the actions of the government and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. This article examines this governance by focusing on holistic (whole-of-government; network governance and participation) and reductionistic (coping and taming) modes of governance inspired by literature on the governance of wicked problems. Each mode includes a specific understanding of the problem at hand and the actions introduced to resolve it. In addition, securitization is viewed as a reductionistic mode of governance, but also as a way of justifying the usage of different modes of governance. The results highlight the centrality of the sectoral ministries and pre-existing governance structures. In addition, the results pinpoint how securitization may have been involved in the enactment of various policies, and not only drastic measures.
