Society of Swedish Literature in Finland, The

The Society of Swedish Literature in Finland was founded as a learned society in 1885 to preserve, develop and mediate the Swedish cultural heritage in Finland. Since 1908 the society has held and administered the Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland.

Mission

The Society of Swedish Literature in Finland is a learned society that preserves, develops and mediates the Swedish cultural heritage in Finland. The Society is a versatile and future-oriented cultural institution of Finland-Swedish literature, culture and research. The aims of the Society are realised through the archives and the library, the publishing unit, the research unit, the distribution of grants and scholarships and the financial administration. The Society of Swedish Literature is one of the largest managers of public funds in Finland.

Geographic Focus

Finland

Programme Areas

The main programme areas of the associoation:

– research in the humanities and social sciences,
– preserving cultural heritage and archives
– academic publishing in the humanities and social sciences,
– giving scholarships and prizes for research and cultural activities

Archives:
The archives of the Society of Swedish Literature in Finland strive to preserve the central parts of the Swedish cultural heritage in Finland, and to store this heritage in a safe manner in order to further mediate it to researchers or other individuals who take an interest in the culture, language, history and traditions of the Finland-Swedish people. Individual archives are received primarily as donations, but also in part as depositions.

Publishing and Foreign Rights:
The publishing unit of the Society of Swedish Literature publishes scientific works of writing within the subjects of history, literary history, the Swedish language, ethnology, folklore and sociology. Historical source editions and text-critical editions also make up an important part of the publications. All of the books published are connected to the Swedish-speaking culture in Finland.The aim of the Society’s publishing unit is to publish culturally valuable books for the interest of research as well as for the reading public. As a scientific publishing house, the Society attaches great importance to the books fulfilling the requirements of scientific accuracy, as well as to the quality of the language and design.

Library:
The library of the Society of Swedish Literature in Finland is a scientific library. Several historically valuable collections can be found in our collection, as well as both old and new scientific literature. The library contributes actively to research and education, especially within its own area of emphasis, the history of books.

Research:
The research sector represents the most significant activity within the Society. By having increasingly concentrated on individual research since the beginning of the millennium, the Society has become one of the great financiers of research within the fields of humanities and social sciences in Finland. Related to the Society’s aims and fields of interest, research is carried out within the subjects of history, literary history, social sciences, the Swedish language and traditions. Researchers are employed for certain projects and with the scientific committees. The research sector seeks and maintains contact with other research institutions and financiers in Finland and the Nordic countries. The scientific committees of the Society of Swedish Literature act as mediating links to the Swedish-speaking university world in Finland.

Prizes and Scholarships:
Upon application and examination, the Society of Swedish Literature in Finland distributes scholarships and means for research out of specific funds, which aims have usually been established by the donator of the respective funds. Upon application, the scientific committees distribute research scholarships from their own budget. Also individuals whose mother tongue is not Swedish can apply for means in order to carry out research if the planned research relates to the fields of interest and aims of the Society. The Society’s task is to promote scientific activity. The Society assigns the majority part of its profits to support its own activities, such as the archives and the library, research, publishing, projects and events that relate to these activities.