Kaverit, koirat ja joenmutkat. Lasten emotionaaliset turvapaikat 1940-50-lukujen Suomessa

Authors

• Antti Malinen University of Tampere, Finland

Keywords:

children’s independent mobility, itsenäinen liikkuminen, history of emotions, tunteiden historia, socialization, sosialisaatio, coping

Abstract

Research inspired by the new materialist approach takes a serious view of children’s everyday agency and its relationship to both human and non-human surroundings, materiality. In this article I investigate the role of materiality in relation to children’s management of their emotions and wellbeing. Children living in insecure and distressing environments in post-WWII Finland are taken under closer scrutiny. A collection of written reminiscences covering the experiences of Finnish post-war childhood is used as the main research material. The article investigates how respondents remember and describe their use of both human and non-human surroundings as a way to find positive emotional experiences and maintain their wellbeing. Children were able to find restorative environments in both natural and urban surroundings and from animal-human companionships. The study suggests that children had multifaceted ways to manage their emotions, partly because as a part of their upbringing and education children were socialized to master independent mobility and to use nature as a place of relaxation and exploration. In urban surroundings, too, children found spaces and places which provided them with activities (adventure, climbing etc.) in which they could immerse themselves. Differences between girls’ and boys’ mobility highlight how children internalized gender stereotypes and expectations.