Authors

• Grönlund, Kimmo (Åbo Akademi University. Social Science Research Institute)
• Herne, Kaisa (University of Tampere. School of Management)
• Himmelroos, Staffan (Åbo Akademi University. Social Science Research Institute)
• Strandberg, Kim (Åbo Akademi University. Social Science Research Institute)
• Setälä, Maija (University of Turku. Department of Political Science)
• Bäck, Maria (Åbo Akademi University. Social Science Research Institute)
• Leino, Mikko (Åbo Akademi University. Social Science Research Institute)

Keywords

bilingualism, deliberation, language policy, national language education, official languages, public opinion

Abstract

The study, which included three separate surveys as well as group deliberation sessions, charted Finnish opinions on the role of the Swedish language in Finland. In this stage of the study, a survey was used to examine which of the participants were suitable to participate in the deliberation sessions.

First, the respondents were presented a number of statements about Swedish and Swedish-speaking people living in Finland. The statements charted views on, among others, the role and significance of Swedish in the Finnish society, compulsory Swedish in basic education, benefits of being bilingual for Finland, Swedish-speaking people in Finland, and service provision in Swedish.

The data also contain a variable on whether the respondent was selected for the deliberation. The researchers wanted to include in the deliberation those respondents who had clear views either for or against Swedish. Participants were selected by excluding respondents with no clear opinion on the topic or extreme opinions out of all the respondents who had indicated that they wished to participate in the deliberation.

Background variables included the respondent's gender, year of birth, education, employment activity and occupational status, and region of residence.