Browsing by Author "Kurki, Anna Mathilda"

This thesis studies the roles of Finnish state and a Finnish forestry company, focusing on the case of UPM’s planned pulp investment in Paso de los Toros, in the department of Durazno in central Uruguay. The objective of this thesis is to seek the different discourses that have been present during the ongoing negotiations over Uruguay’s third pulp mill, how these discourses are defining the role of Finland and what is the significance of the symbolic capital they are creating. In this thesis, Bordieu’s concept of ‘symbolic capital’ is used to portray a situation where capital is misunderstood, and it has lead to a situation where something or someone is considered as good and legitimate actor because of their intelligence, moral values or glorious position they have accumulated or inherited. That is, with its actions, symbolic capital conceals economic, social, and cultural capital, and thus is violence. The primary data consist eight (8) interviews that represent four different actors of society (expertise, governmental, corporation and media) as well as media coverage that includes total of forty (40) newspaper articles from Finnish and Uruguayan media. The methodology for the analysis of the data is based on discourse analysis and narratology, that is used to analyze the collected data and its discourses, by answering to the basic questions of discourse analysis; who said, what was said, why was it said, what did it mean and what was the intention, pursuit and purpose. Also Foucault’s concept of discourse, as a historical and social product that can determine what constitutes as right or wrong, and that can shape identities, thoughts, wants and needs, is used in the discourse analysis. The findings of this thesis demonstrate that while in many classic state theories, the roles, functions and objectives of a nation-state and a private company are held as separate from each other the separation is not always that clear. Even though private companies and corporations are operating with their own logic and the nation-states are not directly involved with a certain project, several indirect links can be found on the discursive level. The inductive statement of this thesis is that the symbolic values, created through discourses of different actors of society are creating new meanings and roles for state, its actions and accountability. From the perspective of Uruguay and Uruguayans, the pulp investment and the investment agreement behind it have signified opportunities for regional development and economic growth, environmental concerns and withholding of information regarding the negotiations of the pulp investment. In these discourses, the role of UPM has exceeded the role of Finland, as the negotiating party has only been the company itself. In Uruguay, UPM is well-know Finnish company and the attributes linked to Finland and Finnishness are mainly positive, emphasizing its technological innovativeness. The findings of the thesis are portraying a very agile vision on state, its role and accountability. The agile state can operate both as a conscious actor that supports the investment actively and as a passive arena where it lets things happen and proceed on their own pace. Agile state adapts quickly the changing circumstances when needed and selects carefully the surroundings and context it is present. It can also operate both as a conscious actor that supports the investment actively and as a passive arena where it lets things happen and proceed on their own pace. The result of this thesis helps to understand that Finland is seen as a strong supporter of forest industry and foreign investment, and that there are many political and economic structures that clearly support the Finnish forest industry and the new pulp investment.