Browsing by Author "Jyrhämä, Sandra"

Objectives. The purpose of this study is to analyse the discussion around the Finnish national food vote. The views expressed with regard to the vote, the different styles of speech, and the emphases and values associated with each view constitute the main interest of the study. In particular the study examines how food shapes identity and what kind of values, attitudes and images are attached to ’being a Finn’. Previous studies show that food conveys culture and thus forms identity. Methods. The data consist mainly of discussions in the media and social media around the national food vote. In principle the data was accessible by anyone searching the internet with the keyword ’national food’. However, the actual research material consists of data compiled by the company Meltwater Finland Oy in a media-monitoring campaign commissioned by the ELO Foundation. These data, consisting of different texts in the traditional and social media, were both analysed as qualitative content analysis discussions as well as differentiated and classified into different styles of speech based on the contents thereof. Results and conclusions. Eight different styles of speech were identified as a result of the analysis. The two main styles represented positive and negative tones of speech. The other styles identified were factual, healt- and identity speech, being right speech, voting speech and other (residual) speech. These styles of speech and the values associated with each of them were examined and analyzed both before and after the national food vote. In social media the discussion was vivid especially after the results of the vote were published. The media-monitoring campaign provided in total of 2301 hits for the keyword ’national food vote’, from which 367 in the traditional media and 1934 in social media. The results show that there are strong emotions connected with Finnish culinary identity. Some essential features and characteristics of what it means to be a Finn are revealed in the different styles of speech, as well as the significance of food, one of our fundamental needs. The study adds our understanding about the Finnish food culture and its significance. The analyzed material brings forth different styles of speech that are employed on internet forums. Within home economics, this study and its results can be utilised in teaching, and corresponding mini-votes can be organised within a class. The tourism and travelling industry could also benefit from the findings as they reveal and classify some of the major parts of Finnish identity, namely culinary identity.