Browsing by Author "Laamo, Marjo Melina"

Corporal punishment is a relatively common phenomenon in Finland even though it has been declared illegal since 1984. The subject of the research was computer-mediated discussion concerning corporal punishment in the Helsingin Sanomat website. My research questions were: 1. How the discussion concerning corporal punishment was constructed? 2. What are the special features of the language used in the discussion concerning corporal punishment? 3. What kind of discourses justify or oppose corporal punishment in the discussion? The topic was approached within the frame of social constructionism using discourse analysis as a method. The dimensions, special features and arguments produced by the analysis were interpreted in the light of the history of corporal punishment, the Finnish upbringing climate and computer-mediated communication study. The discussion was constructed of three main subjects, which were: (1) the article that started the online discussion, (2) the juxtaposition between corporal punishment and free education and (3) the justifications and oppositions of corporal punishment. The discussion concerning corporal punishment was argumentative, questioning and dilemmatic. The most common ways of reasoning were: appealing to personal experience, emotion and authority. There were six discourses favoring corporal punishment. These were: denial discourse, irresolution discourse, future discourse, personality discourse, authority discourse and biblical discourse. There were seven discourses opposing corporal punishment. These were: limited measures discourse, generation discourse, disadvantage discourse, learning discourse, crime discourse, equality discourse and extreme example discourse. Discourses opposing corporal punishment referred to medical and psychological views of upbringing whereas discourses favoring corporal punishment referred to religious comprehensions in addition to other references. The results indicate that corporal punishment is a very personal and sensitive topic that invokes strong emotions. It's notable that there was little discussion concerning the illegality of corporal punishment or the human rights of children. It was also difficult to specify the disadvantages of corporal punishment in the discussion. The discussion concerning corporal punishment in the Helsingin Sanomat website resembled the public discussion before the legislation of 1984. The debate was still focused on whether corporal punishment is a useful method of raising children. The fact that the use of corporal punishment is always an offence against human rights not to mention a criminal act was almost entirely neglected.