The Sleeping Bear and the Power of Prayer

The Emotions Evoked by the War in Ukraine in the Memory-Ideologies of Finns

Abstract

The article examines the interpretations Finnish people have regarding the war in Ukraine and emotions attached to them. The analysis is based on an affective reading of a written collection of personal narratives, titled "War in Ukraine," organized by the Finnish Literature Society in 2022. The narratives provide insight into how the past and present is seen in connection with one another, and the role emotional memories play in this process. Affective patterns consist of personal and shared memories, as well as shared and conflicting historical interpretations. These are accompanied by bodily experiences where emotions physically affect the narrator. The writings are multi-layered commentaries on societal discourses, linking together the moment of writing, personal experiences and history and memory politics.