Geographies in the making

This research examines the relationship between sports and nationalism in Finland, for it has often been argued that the Finns were among the first nations to exploit sports intentionally and effectively for political purposes in a consistent way. The aim is to analyse the ways in which sports imagery has intertwined with nation-building in Finland, and to examine the roles which Finnish sportsmen and women have had in constructing, strengthening and legitimising the Finnish national identity.