Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current
    • Archive
  • Info for
    • Authors
    • Subscribers
    • Institutions
    • Advertisers
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
  • More
    • Feedback
    • Help
    • Change Password
  • Alerts
  • Free Issue
  • Other Publications
    • UW Press Journals

User menu

  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • My alerts
  • Log in
  • My Cart

Search

  • Advanced search
Scandinavian Studies
  • Other Publications
    • UW Press Journals
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • My alerts
  • Log in
  • My Cart
Scandinavian Studies

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current
    • Archive
  • Info for
    • Authors
    • Subscribers
    • Institutions
    • Advertisers
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
  • More
    • Feedback
    • Help
    • Change Password
  • Alerts
  • Free Issue
  • Follow scandstudy on Twitter
  • Visit scandstudy on Facebook
  • Visit scandstudy on Instagram
  • Visit scandstudy on LinkedIn
Research ArticleArticles

Embedded or Embattled?

Constructing Legitimate Religion in Finnish Political Party Platforms

Jere Kyyrö and Titus Hjelm
Scandinavian Studies, January 2026, 98 (1) 6-37; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3368/sca.98.1.6
Jere Kyyrö
Jere Kyyrö is a University Teacher in the Study of Cultures at the University of Turku and a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Social Research at the University of Tampere.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: jere.kyyro{at}utu.fi
Titus Hjelm
Titus Hjelm is a Professor in the Study of Religion at the University of Helsinki.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: titus.hjelm{at}helsinki.fi
  • Article
  • Figures & Data
  • Info & Metrics
  • References
  • PDF
Loading

Works Cited

    1. Ahonen, Talvikki
    Hjelm, Titus Forthcoming. “The Children of Pedonationalism: Religion and the Instrumentalization of Genital Cutting in Finnish Legislative Processes.” National Identities.
  1. ↵
    1. Astor, Avi
    Mayrl, Damon 2020. “Culturalized Religion: A Synthetic Review and Agenda for Research.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 59 (2):209–226. https://doi.org/10.1111/jssr.12661.
    OpenUrl
  2. ↵
    1. Äystö, Tuomas
    2017. “Insulting the Sacred in a Multicultural Society: The Conviction of Jussi Halla-Aho under the Finnish Religious Insult Section.” Culture and Religion 18 (3):191–211. https://doi.org/10.1080/14755610.2017.1365736.
    OpenUrl
  3. ↵
    1. Äystö, Tuomas
    Hjelm, Titus 2024a. “Few to Speak For, But Good for Culture War: The Visibility of Religion Talk in the Finnish Parliament, 2010–2020.” Nordic Journal of Religion and Society 37 (1):4–18. https://doi.org/10.18261/njrs.37.1.1.
    OpenUrl
  4. ↵
    1. Äystö, Tuomas
    Hjelm, Titus 2024b. “Religion as a Troublesome Resource in Finnish Abortion Debates.” Religion, State and Society 52 (1):3–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/09637494.2023.2298065.
    OpenUrl
  5. ↵
    1. Beaman, Lori G.
    2013. “Battles over Symbols: The ‘Religion’ of the Minority versus the ‘Culture’ of the Majority.” Journal of Law and Religion 28 (1):67–104. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0748081400000242.
    OpenUrl
  6. ↵
    1. Beckford, James A.
    2003. Social Theory and Religion. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
  7. ↵
    1. Berger, Peter
    Luckmann, Thomas 1967. The Social Construction of Reality: A Treatise in the Sociology of Knowledge. London: Penguin Books.
  8. ↵
    1. Beyer, Peter
    1994. Religion and Globalization. London: SAGE.
  9. ↵
    1. Brubaker, Rogers
    2017. “Between Nationalism and Civilizationism: The European Populist Moment in Comparative Perspective.” Ethnic and Racial Studies 40 (8):1191–1226.
    OpenUrl
  10. ↵
    1. Center Party [Suomen Keskusta]
    2006. Keskustan periaateohjelma: Kohti tasa-arvoista, luonnonmukaista sivistysyhteiskuntaa. Helsinki: Suomen keskusta rp.
  11. ↵
    1. Center Party [Suomen Keskusta]
    2020. Kuntavaaliohjelma 2021—Keskusta—tekee toiveista totta. Helsinki: Suomen keskusta r.p..
  12. ↵
    1. CHES-Europe
    2019. “1999–2019 Chapel Hill Expert Survey (CHES) Trend File.” Chapel Hill, NC: Chapel Hill Expert Survey. https://www.chesdata.eu/ches-europe.
  13. ↵
    1. Christian Democrats [Kristillisdemokraatit]
    2006. Kristillisdemokraattien tavoiteohjelma vaalikaudelle 2007–2011. Helsinki: Suomen Kristillisdemokraatit r.p..
  14. ↵
    1. Christian Democrats [Kristillisdemokraatit]
    2016. Kristillisdemokraattien maahanmuuttopoliittinen ohjelma 2016. Helsinki: Suomen Kristillisdemokraatit r.p..
  15. ↵
    1. Christian Democrats [Kristillisdemokraatit]
    2017. Inhimillisempi Suomi vuonna 2017. Helsinki: Suomen Kristillisdemokraatit r.p..
  16. ↵
    1. Christian Democrats [Kristillisdemokraatit]
    2020. KD:n kuntavaaliohjelma 2021. Helsinki: Suomen Kristillisdemokraatit r.p..
  17. ↵
    1. Davie, Grace
    2006. “Is Europe an Exceptional Case?.” Hedgehog Review 8 (1–2):23–35.
    OpenUrl
  18. ↵
    1. Davie, Grace
    2007. “Vicarious Religion: A Methodological Challenge.” In Everyday Religion: Observing Modern Religious Lives,Ammerman, Nancy T.,21–36. New York: Oxford Academic. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195305418.003.0001.
  19. ↵
    1. Demerath, N. Jay III
    2000. “The Rise of ‘Cultural Religion’ in European Christianity: Learning from Poland, Northern Ireland, and Sweden.” Social Compass 47 (1):127–139.
    OpenUrlCrossRefWeb of Science
  20. ↵
    1. Fairclough, Isabela
    Fairclough, Norman 2012. Political Discourse Analysis: A Method for Advanced Students. London: Routledge.
  21. ↵
    1. Farnsley, Arthur E.
    2007. “Faith-Based Initiatives.” In The Sage Handbook of the Sociology of Religion,Demerath, N. JayBeckford, James A.,345–356. London: Sage.
  22. ↵
    1. Farris, Sara R.
    2017. In the Name of Women’s Rights: The Rise of Femonationalism. Durham, NC: Duke University Press.
  23. ↵
    1. Field, Clive
    2021. Counting Religion in Britain, 1970–2020. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
  24. ↵
    1. Finns Party [Perussuomalaiset]
    2001. Lähiajan tavoiteohjelma. Helsinki: Perussuomalaiset RP.
  25. ↵
    1. Finns Party [Perussuomalaiset]
    2006. Eduskuntavaaliohjelma 2007: Oikeudenmukaisuuden, hyvinvoinnin ja kansanvallan puolesta!. Helsinki: Perussuomalaiset RP.
  26. ↵
    1. Finns Party [Perussuomalaiset]
    2011. Suomalaiselle sopivin. Perussuomalaiset r.p:n eduskuntavaaliohjelma. Helsinki: Perussuomalaiset RP.
  27. ↵
    1. Fox, Jonathan
    Akbaba, Yasemin 2015. “Securitization of Islam and Religious Discrimination: Religious Minorities in Western Democracies, 1990–2008.” Comparative European Politics 13(2):175–197. https://doi.org/10.1057/cep.2013.8.
    OpenUrl
  28. ↵
    1. Furseth, Inger
    (ed.).2018. Religious Complexity in the Public Sphere: Comparing Nordic Countries. Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.
  29. ↵
    1. Goffman, Erving
    1974. Frame Analysis. An Essay on the Organization of Experience. Boston, MA: Northeastern University Press.
  30. ↵
    1. Gorski, Philip S.
    Perry, Samuel L. 2022. The Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy. New York: Oxford University Press.
  31. ↵
    1. Green League [Vihreä liitto]
    2010. Poliittinen ohjelma—Vihreä tehtävä 2010–2014. Helsinki: Vihreä Liitto rp.
  32. ↵
    1. Green League [Vihreä liitto]
    2014. Kohti kestävää yhteiskuntaa—Vihreiden poliittinen tavoiteohjelma 2015–2019. Helsinki: Vihreä Liitto rp.
  33. ↵
    1. Griera, Mar
    Clot-Garrell, Anna 2015. “Banal Is Not Trivial: Visibility, Recognition, and Inequalities between Religious Groups in Prison.” Journal of Contemporary Religion 30 (1):23–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/13537903.2015.986974.
    OpenUrlCrossRef
    1. Habermas, Jürgen
    1975. Legitimation Crisis. Translated by McCarthy, Thomas Boston, MA: Beacon Press.
  34. ↵
    1. Hjelm, Titus
    2014. “National Piety: Religious Equality, Freedom of Religion and National Identity in Finnish Political Discourse.” Religion 44 (1):31. https://doi.org/10.1080/0048721X.2013.857366.
    OpenUrl
  35. ↵
    1. Hjelm, Titus
    (ed.).2015. Is God Back? Reconsidering the New Visibility of Religion. London: Bloomsbury Academic.
  36. ↵
    1. Hjelm, Titus
    2020. “One Volk, One Church? A Critique of the ‘Folk Church’ Ideology in Finland.” Journal of Church and State 62 (2):294–315. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcs/csz030.
    OpenUrl
  37. ↵
    1. Hjelm, Titus
    2024. Peter L. Berger on Religion: The Social Reality of Religion. London and New York: Routledge.
  38. ↵
    1. Hjelm, Titus
    Maude, George 2021. Historical Dictionary of Finland. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
  39. ↵
    1. Hjelm, Titus
    Äystö, TuomasKoiranen, IlkkaAhonen, TalvikkiKyyrö, Jere 2023. Uskonto, politiikka ja suomalaisten asenteet: Raportti. Helsinki: University of Helsinki.
  40. ↵
    1. Hsieh, Hsiu-Fang
    Shannon, Sarah E. 2005. “Three Approaches to Qualitative Content Analysis.” Qualitative Health Research 15 (9):1277–1288. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732305276687.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science
  41. ↵
    1. Johnson, Cathryn
    Dowd, Timothy J.Ridgeway, Cecilia L. 2006. “Legitimacy as a Social Process.” Annual Review of Sociology 32:53–78.
    OpenUrlCrossRefWeb of Science
  42. ↵
    1. Jolly, Seth
    Bakker, RyanHooghe, LiesbetMarks, GaryPolk, JonathanRovny, JanSteenbergen, MarcoVachudova, Milada Anna 2022. “Chapel Hill Expert Survey Trend File, 1999–2019.” Electoral Studies 75:102420. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electstud.2021.102420.
    OpenUrl
  43. ↵
    1. Kääriäinen, Kimmo
    2011. “Religion and State in Finland.” Nordic Journal of Religion and Society 24 (2):155–171.
    OpenUrl
  44. ↵
    1. Konttori, Johanna
    2016. “Laïcité and the Challenge of Diversity in 21st Century France.” In Helsinki Study of Religions: A Reader,Hämäläinen, RikuPesonen, HeikkiUtriainen, Terhi,274–288. Helsinki: Helsingin yliopisto.
  45. ↵
    1. Krippendorff, Klaus
    2004. Content Analysis: An Introduction to Its Methodology. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
  46. ↵
    1. Left Alliance [Vasemmistoliitto]
    2002. Hyvä lapsuus—Lapsipoliittinen ohjelma. Helsinki: Vasemmistoliitto rp.
  47. ↵
    1. Left Alliance [Vasemmistoliitto]
    2006. Uudistava Vasemmisto: Luonnos periaateohjelmaksi 2007. Helsinki: Vasemmistoliitto rp.
  48. ↵
    1. Lewis, James R.
    2003. Legitimating New Religions. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
  49. ↵
    1. Lindberg, Jonas
    2013. “Religion in Nordic Party Platforms 1988–2008.” Nordic Journal of Religion and Society 26 (2):121–139.
    OpenUrl
  50. ↵
    1. Mickelsson, Rauli
    2021. Suomen puolueet. Vapauden ajasta maailmantuskaan. Tampere: Vastapaino.
  51. ↵
    1. National Coalition Party [Kansallinen Kokoomus]
    2001. Nuorisotyön painopiste varhaisnuoriin.
  52. ↵
    1. National Coalition Party [Kansallinen Kokoomus]
    2020. K62020—Kuusi kohtalonkysymystä kaksikymmentäluvulle.
  53. ↵
    1. Pauha, Teemu
    2018. “Religious and National Identities among Young Muslims in Finland: A View from the Social Constructionist Social Psychology of Religion.” PhD diss., University of Helsinki.
  54. ↵
    1. Pauha, Teemu
    Martikainen, Tuomas 2022. “Arvio maahanmuuttotaustaisen väestön uskonnollisesta jakaumasta Suomessa vuosina 1990–2019.” Teologinen Aikakauskirja 127 (1):3–23.
    OpenUrl
  55. ↵
    1. Petley, Julian
    Richardson, Robin 2011. Pointing the Finger: Islam and Muslims in the British Media. Oxford, UK: Oneworld Publications.
    1. Pohtiva
    n.d.. “Pohtiva—Poliittisten ohjelmien tietovaranto.” Tampere: Tietoarkisto. https://www.fsd.tuni.fi/pohtiva/.
  56. ↵
    1. Social Democrats [Sosialidemokraatit]
    2018. Verotus tulevaisuuden hyvinvointivaltiossa - SDP:n vero-ohjelma 2018. Helsinki: Suomen sosialidemokraattinen puolue.
    1. Steenbergen, Marco R.
    Marks, Gary 2007. “Evaluating Expert Judgments.” European Journal of Political Research 46:347–366. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-6765.2006.00694.x.
    OpenUrlCrossRefWeb of Science
  57. ↵
    1. Swedish People’s Party [Ruotsalainen kansanpuolue]
    2015. Eduskuntavaaliohjelma 2015. Helsinki: Suomen ruotsalainen kansanpuolue.
  58. ↵
    1. Taira, Teemu
    Kyyrö, Jere 2021. “Religion in Finnish Newspapers on an Ordinary Day: Criticism and Support.” Journal of Religion, Media and Digital Culture 10 (2):203–224. https://doi.org/10.1163/21659214-bja10045.
    OpenUrl
  59. ↵
    1. Thompson, John B.
    1990. Ideology and Modern Culture: Critical Social Theory in the Era of Mass Communication. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press.
  60. ↵
    1. van Leeuwen, Theo
    2007. “Legitimation in Discourse and Communication.” Discourse & Communication 1 (1):91–112.
    OpenUrlCrossRef
  61. ↵
    1. Virkkunen, Sakari
    1981. Suomalainen fraasisanakirja. Helsinki: Otava.
  62. ↵
    1. Weber, Max
    1978. Economy and Society: An Outline of Interpretive Sociology, Volume 1. Edited byRoth, GuentherWittich, Claus 1920; Reprint, Berkeley: University of California Press.
PreviousNext
Back to top

In this issue

Scandinavian Studies: 98 (1)
Scandinavian Studies
Vol. 98, Issue 1
1 Jan 2026
  • Table of Contents
  • Table of Contents (PDF)
  • Index by author
  • Back Matter (PDF)
  • Front Matter (PDF)
Print
Download PDF
Article Alerts
Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on Scandinavian Studies.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Embedded or Embattled?
(Your Name) has sent you a message from Scandinavian Studies
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the Scandinavian Studies web site.
Citation Tools
Embedded or Embattled?
Jere Kyyrö, Titus Hjelm
Scandinavian Studies Jan 2026, 98 (1) 6-37; DOI: 10.3368/sca.98.1.6

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Share
Embedded or Embattled?
Jere Kyyrö, Titus Hjelm
Scandinavian Studies Jan 2026, 98 (1) 6-37; DOI: 10.3368/sca.98.1.6
Twitter logo Facebook logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One
Bookmark this article

Jump to section

  • Article
    • Abstract
    • The Religious and Political Context in Finland
    • Conceptualizing Legitimation
    • Data and Methods
    • Legitimation Frames: Qualitative Analysis
    • Legitimation Frames: Descriptive Statistics
    • Legitimation Frames: Predictors
    • Conclusion
    • Footnotes
    • Works Cited
  • Figures & Data
  • Info & Metrics
  • References
  • PDF

Related Articles

  • No related articles found.
  • Google Scholar

Cited By...

  • No citing articles found.
  • Google Scholar

More in this TOC Section

  • The Evolution of Abortion Legislation in Denmark
  • Religion as a Social Problem in the Swedish Parliament
Show more Articles

Similar Articles

Keywords

  • political platforms
  • legitimation
  • religion
  • secular worldviews
  • culturalized religion
  • Christianism
UW Press logo

© 2026 Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System