FSD3916 Sámi Barometer 2020
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Study description in other languages
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Study title
Sámi Barometer 2020
Dataset ID Number
FSD3916
Persistent identifiers
https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD3916https://doi.org/10.60686/t-fsd3916
Data Type
Quantitative
Authors
Abstract
Sámi Barometer 2020 is a survey conducted by the Ministry of Justice and the Giellagas Institute, aiming to examine the implementation of the Sámi Language Act. The data specifically investigates the availability, functionality, and development needs of Sámi-language services, as well as the realization of linguistic rights both within and outside the Sámi homeland in Finland. The 2020 survey focuses on education, cultural, and leisure services.
Respondents' language proficiency was assessed by asking how well they can speak, write, and understand each language (Inari Sámi, Skolt Sámi, North Sámi, and Finnish). Further questions explored in which contexts the respondent has learned Sámi (e.g., at home in childhood, in daycare, at school, as an adult) and to what extent they use Sámi in everyday life, at work, with family and relatives, and when dealing with authorities. If the respondent had or has underage children, they were asked which languages they speak to their children, what kind of daycare the children have attended, and in which language they go to school.
Respondents were asked how well they know their linguistic rights and the Sámi Language Act, and how important they consider linguistic rights. The survey examined the availability and functionality of public services (municipal and state services) in Sámi. Respondents living in the Sámi homeland were asked, among other things, about the availability and functionality of library, cultural or sports services, daycare, and basic education in their spoken Sámi language. In addition, the survey inquired how the municipality communicates about its activities in Sámi.
Respondents were also asked in which municipal or state functions they have received services in Sámi and in which areas increasing such services would be most important in their opinion. Furthermore, the survey asked what actions the municipality or state should take to develop Sámi-language services. The survey also explored the language climate in the municipality and possible experiences of discrimination, prejudice, or harassment due to the use of the Sámi language.
Background information in the data includes the respondent's gender, year of birth, level of education, employment status, mother tongue, and major region.
Keywords
discrimination; language discrimination; language skills; minority language users; minority languages; multilingualism; public services
Topic Classification
- Social sciences (Fields of Science Classification)
- Language and linguistics (CESSDA Topic Classification)
- Community, urban and rural life (CESSDA Topic Classification)
- Minorities (CESSDA Topic Classification)
Series
Individual datasetsDistributor
Finnish Social Science Data Archive
Access
The dataset is (B) available for research, teaching and study.
Data Collector
- University of Oulu. Giellagas Institute
Time Period Covered
2020
Collection Dates
2020-11
Nation
Finland
Geographical Coverage
Finland
Analysis/Observation Unit Type
Individual
Universe
Sámi-speaking adults in Finland
Time Method
Cross-section
Sampling Procedure
Total universe/Complete enumeration
The sampling frame consisted of all adults whose mother tongue is registered as Sámi in the Population Information System. To reach those included in the sample, permission was requested from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency to extract information from the Population Information System. Reaching Sámi-speaking individuals with the chosen method is challenging. The selected sampling method could only reach part of the target group, as some Sámi speakers have Finnish registered as their mother tongue in the Population Information System.
For data collection, two versions of the questionnaire were prepared: a slightly shorter version for those living outside the Sámi homeland and a slightly longer version for residents of the municipalities in the homeland. All individuals included in the sample received the questionnaire and a cover letter by post. The cover letter also provided a web address where the same questionnaire could be completed electronically. In principle, anyone with the URL could respond to the online questionnaire. Due to practical issues, the mailing of the questionnaires was delayed, and therefore the response date of 8 November 2020, which was already printed on the forms, was too soon after the arrival of the survey for some respondents. The response period was extended until 15 November 2020.
Information about the data collection was published twice via Yle Sápmi. In addition, the extension of the response period was announced on Facebook through village and Sámi area municipal community channels, as well as on the pages of Sámi associations. The announcement stated that it was possible to respond to the survey even if one had not received it by post. A few people made contact after the announcements, and they were provided with the URL for the online questionnaire. Based on experiences from the previous Sámi Barometer, the researcher also estimated that the number of Inari and Skolt Sámi respondents in the sample might remain small. For this reason, response forms were also printed for the premises of the Skolt village meeting and distributed via the Skolt Sámi Council and the Inari Sámi language association Anarâškielâ servi's email list.
Collection Mode
Self-administered questionnaire: Paper
Self-administered questionnaire: Web-based (CAWI)
Research Instrument
Structured questionnaire
Response Rate
19
Data File Language
Downloaded data package may contain different language versions of the same files.
The data files of this dataset are available in the following languages: Finnish.
FSD translates quantitative data into English on request, free of charge. More information on ordering data translation.
Data Version
1.0
Related Datasets
FSD3684 Sign Language Barometer 2020
Completeness of Data and Restrictions
Two different questionnaires were used for data collection. One was used in the Sámi homeland area (A) and the other outside the homeland area (B). Both questionnaires are available in Finnish, North Sámi, Inari Sámi, and Skolt Sámi.
The dataset contains missing values, which are indicated by the value -1. FSD does not have more detailed information about these missing values.
The dataset includes the variables B_q_10_1_6, B_q_10_2_6, and B_q_10_3_6, which relate to the question "How well do you think you know North Sámi?". FSD does not have more detailed information about these variables, so they have been retained in the data as provided by the researcher.
For identifiability reasons, some open-ended variables have been removed. From the remaining open-ended variables, identifiable responses have been deleted. Deletions made by the FSD are marked as '[identifiable section removed]”. For the same reason, the municipality of residence has been classified into region (NUTS3).
Weighting
There are no weight variables in the 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
Ministry of Justice & University of Oulu: Sámi Barometer 2020 [dataset]. Data version 1.0 (2025-11-19). Finnish Social Science Data Archive [distributor]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.60686/t-fsd3916; URN: https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD3916
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 Materials
Related Publications
Study description in machine readable DDI-C 2.5 format
Metadata record is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.