MACMILLAN Finnish Colonial Encounters: From Anti-Imperialism to Cultural Colonialism and Complicity (Cambridge Imperial and Post-Colonial Studies)

Breaking new ground in the study of European colonialism, this book focuses on a nation historically positioned between the Western and Eastern Empires of Europe – Finland. Although Finland never had overseas colonies, the authors argue that the country was undeniably involved in the colonial world, with Finns adopting ideologies and identities that cannot easily be disentangled from colonialism. This book explores the concepts of ‘colonial complicity’ and ‘colonialism without colonies’ in relation to Finland, a nation that was oppressed, but also itself complicit in colonialism. It offers insights into European colonialism on the margins of the continent and within a nation that has traditionally declared its innocence and exceptionalism. The book shows that Finns were active participants in various colonial contexts, including Southern Africa and Sápmi in the North. Demonstrating that colonialism was a common practice shared by all European nations, with or without formal colonies, this book provides essential reading for anyone interested in European colonial history. Chapters 1, 7 and 8 are available open access under a via link.springer.com.></p></p></p></p> Review “A pathbreaking collection on Finnish engagements with colonialism, this book explores colonial complicities and connections from various innovative angles. Most importantly, the book shows how a country that was once poor and dominated by powerful neighbours can become participant in global mechanisms of domination.” (Teivo Teivainen, Professor of World Politics, University of Helsinki, Finland) “This engaging and analytically rich collection sheds light on the multiple and often complex ways that coloniality has been a part of Finnish history and realities. Bringing together different case studies and types of sources, it constitutes a much-needed addition to the ongoing critical evaluation of Nordic activities and imaginations in colonial and imperial expansions and its ramifications for the present.” (Kristín Loftsdóttir, Professor of Anthropology, University of Iceland, Iceland) From the Back Cover Breaking new ground in the study of European colonialism, this book focuses on a nation historically positioned between the Western and Eastern Empires of Europe – Finland. Although Finland never had overseas colonies, the authors argue that the country was undeniably involved in the colonial world, with Finns adopting ideologies and identities that cannot easily be disentangled from colonialism.  This book explores the concepts of ‘colonial complicity’ and ‘colonialism without colonies’ in relation to Finland, a nation that was oppressed, but also itself complicit in colonialism. It offers insights into European colonialism on the margins of the continent and within a nation that has traditionally declared its innocence and exceptionalism. The book shows that Finns were active participants in various colonial contexts, including Southern Africa and Sápmi in the North. Demonstrating that colonialism was a common practice shared by all European nations, with or without formal colonies, this book provides essential reading for anyone interested in European colonial history. Raita Merivirta is an Academy of Finland Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Department of European and World History at the University of Turku, Finland.  She is a specialist in postcolonial history, literature and cultural studies, and the author of The Emergency and the Indian English Novel: Memory, Culture and Politics (Routledge, 2019). Leila Koivunen is a Professor of global history and intercultural interaction in the Department of European and World History at the University of Turku, Finland. She is a specialist in the history of cultural encounters and the processes of intercultural knowledge formation, especially between Africa and Europe in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Timo Särkkä is a Docent in economic history in the