Introduction: Finland in Imperial Context

Abstract

Abstract “Imperial Era,” this special issue of the Journal of Finnish Studies, presents a selection of articles that describe Finland in the context of the Russian Empire. In this introductory article, “Finland in Imperial Context,” the authors sketch the historical background for the specialized articles. They present key features in the history of the Grand Duchy of Finland during its period of Russian rule (1809–1917), that is, after the Napoleonic Wars and before the Russian Revolution, after Swedish rule and before independence. The importance of understanding Finland in imperial context—as a part of the wider context of the Russian Empire—is highlighted. It is contrasted with a narrower national context. The complexities of studying this era and other aspects of Finnish-Russian history include the need for scholars to be multilingual and grapple with the legacy of Russian imperialism—which still burdens the world today. Multi- and translingual considerations are described, orienting the reader to standardizations employed by the authors for maximum accessibility and comprehensibility of the issue's articles, which are each introduced in summary.