Study title

Women and War 1987-1988

Dataset ID Number

FSD2551

Persistent identifiers

https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD2551
https://doi.org/10.60686/t-fsd2551

Data Type

Qualitative

Authors

• Haavio-Mannila, Elina (University of Helsinki. Department of Sociology)
• Martha Organization
• National Board of Antiquities

Abstract

The dataset focuses on Finnish women's experiences and memories of their everyday life during the Winter War (1939-1940) and the Continuation War (1941-1944), that is, during the World War II. The data contain the responses of 949 Finnish women to a postal questionnaire with open-ended questions.

In addition to background information, there were questions on working life, health care, voluntary work and voluntary organisations, education, household tasks, family and friends, spare time, atmosphere in Finland during the wars, evacuation and evacuees, and attitudes to war. The responses were largely narrative, with the respondents telling about their own wartime experiences and about the wartime in general.

The dataset is only available in Finnish.

Keywords

civilians; evacuees; everyday life; history; labour and employment; war; war veterans; war victims; women; women's organizations; women's role

Topic Classification

• Social sciences (Fields of Science Classification)
• Humanities (Fields of Science Classification)
• Agriculture and rural industry (CESSDA Topic Classification)
• Working conditions (CESSDA Topic Classification)
• Conflict, security and peace (CESSDA Topic Classification)
• Gender and gender roles (CESSDA Topic Classification)

Series

Individual datasets

Distributor

Finnish Social Science Data Archive

Access

The dataset is (B) available for research, teaching and study.

Data Collector

• University of Helsinki. Department of Sociology
• National Board of Antiquities

Time Period Covered

1939-11-30 – 1944-09-19

Collection Dates

1987 – 1988

Nation

Finland

Geographical Coverage

Finland

Analysis/Observation Unit Type

Individual

Universe

Finnish women who were born before the year 1924 and who had experienced the Winter War and the Continuation War

Time Method

Cross-section

Sampling Procedure

Non-probability: Availability

Probability

The data were collected through a postal questionnaire. Information on potential participants was received via the Martha Organization (70%), Rural Women's Advisory Organisation (5%) and Social Democratic Women's Union (6%). A random sample was also drawn from the Population Register. Out of all responses, 17% were from people in the random sample.

Collection Mode

Self-administered writings and/or diaries

Research Instrument

Unstructured questionnaire

Data collection guidelines: Self-administered writings guide

Data Files

949 responses to the questionnaire compiled in 43 TXT files and HTML files.

Data File Language

The data files of this dataset are available in the following languages: Finnish.

Qualitative data are available in their original language only and are not translated.

Data Version

2.0

Completeness of Data and Restrictions

Hand-written responses were transcribed into a digital format during the research project. Lengths of the responses vary greatly from single words to short biographies.

Responses of 209 respondents who had worked in medical care during the wars are not included in the archived data.

Citation Requirement

The data and its creators shall be cited in all publications and presentations for which the data have been used. The bibliographic citation may be in the form suggested by the archive or in the form required by the publication.

Bibliographical Citation

Haavio-Mannila, Elina (University of Helsinki) & Martha Organization & National Board of Antiquities: Women and War 1987-1988 [dataset]. Version 2.0 (2011-03-23). Finnish Social Science Data Archive [distributor]. https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD2551

Deposit Requirement

Notify FSD of all publications where you have used the data by sending the citation information to user-services.fsd@tuni.fi.

Disclaimer

The original data creators and the archive bear no responsibility for any results or interpretations arising from the reuse of the data.

Related Publications

Raitis, Riikka & Haavio-Mannila, Elina (1993). Naisten aseet. Suomalaisena naisena talvi- ja jatkosodassa. Juva: WSOY.

Halonen, Susanna (2021) "Kyllä työ tekijänsä neuvoi" - Pohjoiskarjalaisten naisten kokemuksia miesten töiden tekemisestä talvi- ja jatkosodassa 1939-1944. Pro gradu -tutkielma. Historia- ja maantieteiden laitos, Itä-Suomen yliopisto. http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:uef-20211501

Väyrynen, T. (2023, forthcoming). War agency in women's auxiliary military organizations: The case of Lotta Svärd in Finland. International Feminist Journal of Politics. DOI 10.1080/14616742.2022.2135559

Oksanen, Sanna (2024). ”Kevytkenkäiset, huonot naiset”: Suhtautuminen jatkosodan aikana saksalaisten kanssa seurustelleisiin naisiin. Suomen historian pro gradu -tutkielma. Turku: Turun yliopisto. https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2024060646725