The role of identity for regional actors and citizens in a splintered region: The case of Päijät-Häme, Finland
Regions are often understood as social and discursive constructs that are perpetually at the heart of the politics of spatial distinctions. Although regions transform over time, they are used in collective discourses as ways of structuring space and they can become important elements for individual...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Geographical Society of Finland
2013-06-01
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| Series: | Fennia: International Journal of Geography |
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| Online Access: | https://fennia.journal.fi/article/view/7348 |
| _version_ | 1818753758579916800 |
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| author | Joni Vainikka |
| author_facet | Joni Vainikka |
| author_sort | Joni Vainikka |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Regions are often understood as social and discursive constructs that are perpetually at the heart of the politics of spatial distinctions. Although regions transform over time, they are used in collective discourses as ways of structuring space and they can become important elements for individual identity narratives and practices. The proponents of the competitiveness rhetoric increasingly utilize the ideas of social capital and trust positing that regions are knowingly responsible for their affluence and economic growth. In Finland, various institutional agents have operationalized provincial spaces as imperative policy instruments. At the same time, their meaning has remained rather ambiguous to their citizens, whose spatial identifications can be eclectic and reflexive. This article focuses on one particular region, Päijät-Häme in southern Finland to uncover why the supposed internal cohesion does not seem to manifest at the provincial level. The paper approaches regional identity from two angles. First, it scrutinizes how regional actors conceptualize the region and how they facilitate regional identity discourses, and second, it analyses how individuals construct their spatial identities and belonging and studies the meaning of the institutionalized region in this process. The empirical material consists of eleven interviews with institutional actors representing regional policy, trade, education and media and four focus group interviews with locally- or universally-inclined social movements representing the general public. In this article, I argue that historical fractures and differently aligned spatial strategies can hinder attempts to reconfigure regional identities, and by implication, development discourses. I also indicate that while the province does not necessarily provide compelling identity materials, the need to belong has not disappeared in the currents of globalization. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T05:12:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-280757c4857e427cbb44a75c5bf1acc1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1798-5617 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T05:12:27Z |
| publishDate | 2013-06-01 |
| publisher | Geographical Society of Finland |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Fennia: International Journal of Geography |
| spelling | doaj.art-280757c4857e427cbb44a75c5bf1acc12022-12-21T21:19:52ZengGeographical Society of FinlandFennia: International Journal of Geography1798-56172013-06-011911The role of identity for regional actors and citizens in a splintered region: The case of Päijät-Häme, FinlandJoni Vainikka0University of OuluRegions are often understood as social and discursive constructs that are perpetually at the heart of the politics of spatial distinctions. Although regions transform over time, they are used in collective discourses as ways of structuring space and they can become important elements for individual identity narratives and practices. The proponents of the competitiveness rhetoric increasingly utilize the ideas of social capital and trust positing that regions are knowingly responsible for their affluence and economic growth. In Finland, various institutional agents have operationalized provincial spaces as imperative policy instruments. At the same time, their meaning has remained rather ambiguous to their citizens, whose spatial identifications can be eclectic and reflexive. This article focuses on one particular region, Päijät-Häme in southern Finland to uncover why the supposed internal cohesion does not seem to manifest at the provincial level. The paper approaches regional identity from two angles. First, it scrutinizes how regional actors conceptualize the region and how they facilitate regional identity discourses, and second, it analyses how individuals construct their spatial identities and belonging and studies the meaning of the institutionalized region in this process. The empirical material consists of eleven interviews with institutional actors representing regional policy, trade, education and media and four focus group interviews with locally- or universally-inclined social movements representing the general public. In this article, I argue that historical fractures and differently aligned spatial strategies can hinder attempts to reconfigure regional identities, and by implication, development discourses. I also indicate that while the province does not necessarily provide compelling identity materials, the need to belong has not disappeared in the currents of globalization.https://fennia.journal.fi/article/view/7348Päijät-HämeRegional identityfocus groupsregion-buildingregional actorssocial movements |
| spellingShingle | Joni Vainikka The role of identity for regional actors and citizens in a splintered region: The case of Päijät-Häme, Finland Fennia: International Journal of Geography Päijät-Häme Regional identity focus groups region-building regional actors social movements |
| title | The role of identity for regional actors and citizens in a splintered region: The case of Päijät-Häme, Finland |
| title_full | The role of identity for regional actors and citizens in a splintered region: The case of Päijät-Häme, Finland |
| title_fullStr | The role of identity for regional actors and citizens in a splintered region: The case of Päijät-Häme, Finland |
| title_full_unstemmed | The role of identity for regional actors and citizens in a splintered region: The case of Päijät-Häme, Finland |
| title_short | The role of identity for regional actors and citizens in a splintered region: The case of Päijät-Häme, Finland |
| title_sort | role of identity for regional actors and citizens in a splintered region the case of paijat hame finland |
| topic | Päijät-Häme Regional identity focus groups region-building regional actors social movements |
| url | https://fennia.journal.fi/article/view/7348 |
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