The essays assembled here shed light on Finland's gradual assimilation into Europe.
Finland's identity in relation to Europe has traditionally been defined in terms of its northern location, its agrarian past and its Lutheran state Church. The country's perceived political and cultural character has also been determined by its geographical position between two spheres of power - Finland has been seen either as a mediator between East and West, or as an outpost of the West. Another persistent preoccupation has been the idea that Finland has a "short" history. The above clichés are at once accurate and erroneous. To grasp the complex dynamic of Finnish self-understanding we must undertake a deeper historical and cultural analysis. In actual fact, Europeanisation began already in the mid-twelfth century, when the country became a Roman Catholic diocese, and Finland has remained part of Europe culturally, economically and politically ever since. The essays assembled here shed light on Finland's gradual assimilation into Europe, from the arrival of Christianity to the Reformation; from industrialisation and burgeoning international trade to the cataclysm of the World Wars. Another central topic is the creation of finnish national identity and ideology through literature, architecture and the visual arts