Gender and Family Relations. Medieval to Modern
(Fin. Perheen jäljillä)
The project, led by Anu Lahtinen, Professor in Finnish and Nordic History (University of Helsinki, anu.z.lahtinen[at]helsinki.fi), deals with gender and family relations in Finland from the Middle Ages to the Modern period. The aim of the project is to study changes and continuity in family relations from the Middle Ages to the early 20th century. Special attention is paid to the role of gender hierarchies in family relations. The project is funded by Emil Aaltosen säätiö (Emil Aaltonen foundation) in 2013-2015.
The starting point of the project is, on the one hand, to analyse slowly changing legal, social, and cultural conditions that had an influence on the economic, social, and emotional interdependency between family members. On the other hand, the project also strives to highlight the various forms the family life could take at any given time period. Finally, the project endeavours to question the simplified notions of the ‘traditional’ Finnish family.
Comparing conditions in towns and the countryside is one important foundation for the project. In Finland, life in towns differed from life in the countryside when it came to gendered division of work, inheritance, marriage patterns, and transferring wealth from one generation to another. In their forthcoming articles, the members of the project will discuss the consequences that this legal and economic framework had for the family relations.
The results of the project will be presented in forthcoming conferences and seminars, in individual articles, and in a co-written book. Suggestions for cooperation with other projects are most welcome.
Contact information:
Anu Lahtinen, Professor in Finnish and Nordic History (University of Helsinki)
anu.z.lahtinen[at]helsinki.fi
Project Blog (material in Finnish, Swedish and English): http://perheenjaljilla.blogspot.fi/Members of the project:
Ilana Aalto, PhD, University of TurkuJulia Dahlberg, M.A., University of Helsinki
Johanna Ilmakunnas, PhD, University of Helsinki
Jarkko Keskinen, PhD, University of Turku
Hanna Kietäväinen-Sirén, M.A., University of Jyväskylä
Mia Korpiola, LL.D., Docent, University of Helsinki
Tiina Miettinen, PhD, University of Tampere
Maija Ojala, M.A., University of Tampere
Taina Saarenpää, M.A., University of Turku
Charlotte Vainio, M.A., University of Helsinki
Mari Välimäki, M.A., University of Turku
