Often translated as resilience or perseverance, the Finnish concept of sisu is about never giving up, even when a task is seemingly impossible. Considered a hot topic of popular psychology, sisu is regarded as having a positive impact on mental health. At the heart of sisu is the idea of getting back up from failures, whether that be losing a job or the end of a relationship, and having the courage to use that experience to further oneself. Running a marathon and feel like you've hit a wall? Got a business idea but too scared to try it? Channelling sisu can be the key to overcoming both mental and physical blocks. Although a Finnish concept, this book explains how anyone can embrace sisu and channel their inner courage to make the most of any situation.

Above the entrance to the Finnish Labour Temple, in what was once Port Arthur in northern Ontario, is the motto labor omnia vincit – “hard work conquers all.” Since 1910, these words have reflected the dedication of the Finnish community in Canada. Hard Work Conquers All is a social history of Finnish immigration and community building in Canada during the twentieth century. Each successive wave of immigration imbued the relationship between people, homeland, and host country with the politics, ideologies, and cultural expressions of its time. The story of Finns in Canada dovetails with the larger literature on Canadian immigration and enriches the history of socialism and ethnic repression in this country. Hard Work Conquers All explores the nuanced cultural identities of Finnish Canadians, their continued ties to Finland, intergenerational cultural transfer, and the community’s connections with socialism and labour movements. It offers new interpretations of the lasting influence of Finnish immigration on Canadian politics and society.

Finnish Settler Colonialism in North America reinterprets Finnish experiences in North America by connecting them to the transnational processes of settler colonial conquest, far-settlement, elimination of natives, and capture of terrestrial spaces. Rather than merely exploring whether the idea of Finns as a different kind of immigrant is a myth, this book challenges it in many ways. It offers an analysis of the ways in which this myth manifests itself, why it has been upheld to this day, and most importantly how it contributes to settler colonialism in North America and beyond. The authors in this volume apply multidisciplinary perspectives in revealing the various levels of Finnish involvement in settler colonialism. In their chapters, authors seek to understand the experiences and representations of Finns in North American spatial projects, in territorial expansion and integration, and visions of power. They do so by analyzing how Finns reinvented their identities and acted as settlers, participated in the production of settler colonial narratives, as well as benefitted and took advantage of settler colonial structures. Finnish Settler Colonialism in North America aims to challenge traditional histories of Finnish migration, in which Finns have typically been viewed almost in isolation from the broader American context, not to mention colonialism. The book examines the diversity of roles, experiences, and narrations of and by Finns in the histories of North America by employing the settler colonial analytical framework.

How do national stereotypes emerge? To which extent are they determined by historical or ideological circumstances, or else by cultural, literary or discursive conventions? This first inclusive critical compendium on national characterizations and national (cultural or ethnic) stereotypes contains 120 articles by 73 contributors. Its three parts offer [1] a number of in-depth survey articles on ethnic and national images in European literatures and cultures over many centuries; [2] an encyclopedic survey of the stereotypes and characterizations traditionally ascribed to various ethnicities and nationalities; and [3] a conspectus of relevant concepts in various cultural fields and scholarly disciplines. The volume as a whole, as well as each of the articles, has extensive bibliographies for further critical reading. Imagologyis intended both for students and for senior scholars, facilitating not only a first acquaintance with the historical development, typology and poetics of national stereotypes, but also a deepening of our understanding and analytical perspective by interdisciplinary and comparative contextualization and extensive cross-referencing.

This is a collection of essays about Finnish speech culture and also studies the relationships between speech and culture at the general level. Using qualitative methodology in general and ethnography in particular, the essayists examine: terms for talk, the regulation of talk, relational dialectics, face-work, intangibles, strategic communication, and argumentation.

CultureShock! Finland guides you on a fun-filled crash course on getting to know this rarely explored country. Find out why the Finns are so proud of their motherland and why others fall in love with it from their first visit. From cosmopolitan Helsinki to traditional Lapland, discover the gems of each region and be charmed by the magical winters and the long summer days. Be acquainted with the Finns and find out what lies behind their silence and the desire for personal space. Understand how environmental consciousness and gender equality play an important role in Finnish society and be initiated into the delights of the Finnish sauna. This book also covers a wide range of practical topics to enable you to settle in seamlessly, such as how to set up home, how to conduct business effectively and what leisure activities are available. CultureShock! Finland is the all-encompassing guide that will help you to find your way in Finland and make it your own.

Discover the Finnish quality of sisu and how cultivating it can help you lead a life of greater purpose and happiness. This ancient Finnish word describes an attitude of courage, resilience, grit, tenacity and perseverance. This key psychological competence enables extraordinary action in times of adversity. To have sisu confers a further dimension of doing so with honesty, integrity and humility. By cultivating sisu you can: Face life's challenges with courage and determination Enhance your wellbeing and find your focus Communicate confidently and resolve conflicts effectively Cultivate endurance and achieve your fitness goals Raise kind and resilient children Act with integrity and fight for what you believe in Sisu is a universal trait. It may have been bottled and labelled by the Finns, but it is within reach of everyone. It lies within you, and you are very likely to have used it already.