Educating Karelians to be Finns: Liberal adult education in Border Karelia in 1920s and 1930s

Authors

• Sinikka Selin Tampereen yliopisto

DOI: https://doi.org/10.33350/ka.141428

Keywords:

border politics, liberal adult education, border karelia, Karelians, study groups, folk high schools

Abstract

Border politics assumed significance in Finland following its declaration of independence. The border regions were perceived as requiring comprehensive attention, encompassing economic and educational development. This article focuses on liberal adult education in Border Karelia during the 1920s and 1930s. Border Karelia refers to six civil parishes north of Lake Ladoga. Its proximity to the tense eastern border, intertwined with its unique cultural identity rooted in the Karelian language and Orthodox Church, rendered this area politically pivotal. The most important institutions of liberal adult education in the region were a folk high school situated in Impilahti and Raja-Karjalan Sivistysliitto along with its network of study groups. Their primary focus was on individuals in their formative years, typically in their early twenties, aiming to educate them to become patriotic and morally upright citizens. The overarching vision was to promote the Finnicization and modernization of Border Karelia. This transformation was considered not only a natural progression but also a highly desirable outcome within the broader context of border politics.