Chapter 2: Swedish-Language Folkhögskolor in Finland: Ethnonationalism, Language, and Adult Education in the Nineteenth Century

At the turn of the nineteenth century, Europe was in the midst of great change, politically, philosophically, and socially. Ethnonationalism based on the Romantic concept of linguistic communities spread across the continent. Scandinavia was not exempt from this influence as the kingdoms of Denmark and Sweden were greatly reduced in size, creating in their wake states with budding ethnic consciousness, along with new challenges of identity for the former ruling state and those of the ruling class remaining in the altered society. These conditions have not been lost to the passage of time, but still impact us today in a myriad of ways in Scandinavia and other locales around the world.