Evoking Memory in Political Rhetoric : The Winter War as a Lens for Finland's Response to the war in Ukraine

Abstract

This thesis examines the influence of collective memory in present-day politics through an analysis of political speech. It uses the case of Finland’s Winter War, a key component of the national identity of Finland. The memory of the Winter War represents Finland’s history of sacrifice, resilience, national solidarity, and determined defense of the nation, and is often evoked in public rhetoric in Finland during times of crisis. Thus, this thesis conducts a rhetorical analysis to answer the research question: How is the collective memory of the Winter War evoked by Finland’s political leadership to address the war in Ukraine?

My research builds on previous research into the role of collective memory in present-day society and contributes to the field of memory studies in peace and conflict research. I draw from the fields of collective memory, political rhetoric, and the politics of memory to argue for the importance of a critical analysis of wartime memory in understanding the present political and social landscape. This research also contributes to existing research into the memory of the Winter War in Finland and explores how it is evoked to provide a lens through which to interpret Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Through a method of Rhetorical Analysis, I analyzed a corpus of 15 texts comprised of speeches, interviews, press conferences, and panel discussions to examine the context, audience, appeals, and argument of each text. I then employed a method of Reflexive Thematic Analysis to interpret the data according to the research question, which resulted in the formation of four themes. The findings show that the collective memory of the Winter War is used to establish ontological security regarding both Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Finland’s decision to join NATO; communicate a vicarious identity with Ukraine to generate hope for the future; encourage national unity to diffuse internal tensions; and shape foreign policy that supports Euro-Atlantic integration. The Winter War’s continuous relevance in Finland’s collective memory serves as a testament to the enduring power of collective memories in shaping both political discourse and individual experience in society. The Winter War continues to resonate with national and international audiences, representative of collective memory’s enduring influence on the present.