Arttu Saarinen

Risk perceptions across the current political spectrum in Finland: a study of party members

Abstract Political party member perceptions of risk continue to attract a great deal of attention in current public discourse and media coverage, yet little research exists in terms of a comparative analysis of Finnish political parties’ views on the issue. Party members are in many ways a highly significant social group, one that exercises a great deal of decision-making power in modern civil societies. This article provides a novel and up-to-date look into the key areas of perceived risk held by the members of Finland’s political parties, in addition to a comparison of inter-party differences and similarities. The analysis is based on a unique survey data-set of the members of Finland’s six major political parties (N = 12,427). Included are the Finns Party, Centre Party, Left Alliance, Social Democratic Party, Green League and National Coalition Party. Together, these represent the political spectrum in Finland. Risk factors included primary categories dealing with various national, institutional, cultural and economic issues. Also included in the analysis was a look into whether length of party membership affects risk concern for the included issues. Findings showed that national and external risks were more of a concern for the Finns Party, while the Left and the Social Democrats considered economic issues a greater risk than did others. Furthermore, economic risk was most concerning to the left while external risks were generally viewed in line with the current centre-right administration. Some notable differences between old and new party members were also found. Findings emphasize the importance of understanding how political party members differ in their views of various societal risks while providing new points of comparison between those parties toward improved clarity of the national political landscape.

The persisting link between physical recreation spending and education – the case of Finland

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the development of household spending on physical recreation and the structural distribution of spending over the years 1985-2012 in Finland linked to various contextual factors including education level, income and area of residence. Design/methodology/approach The study uses Statistics Finland’s consumption research data in a quantitative analysis toward adding a new dimension to research on Finns’ physical recreation spending. Findings Findings show that the amount of money spent on physical recreation equipment and services has grown steadily. Finns’ spending on physical recreation continues to be relatively conservative relative to income, though there are notable differences between population groups. The link between education level and physical recreation remains strong. The largest difference between education levels is between those having completed basic level education and those with higher education degrees. Household type also explains a great deal of the difference in amount spent on physical recreation. According to the results, physical recreation spending is central to the leisure activities of highly educated family units. Originality/value Research on the stratification of consumption habits in Finnish society has not yet addressed physical recreation spending. Furthermore, research on income spent on such activity by various population groups at different times has not been carried out. This paper provides research on both of these themes.

Highly educated but occupationally differentiated: the members of Finland’s Green League

ABSTRACT The socio-demographic profiles and occupations of the members of the Green League and other Finnish political parties are examined using survey data collected from the members of Finland’s six major political parties (n = 12,427). Significant differentiation in occupational structure is revealed among Green party members. The importance of understanding how Green party members differ by background is emphasised while providing new approaches to studying party members’ interests and goals.