"Ist Finnland ein nordisches Land?" : Der Nordek-Prozess 1968–70 als Fallstudie

In my master's thesis I examine Finland's position among the Nordic countries. The imagination of Nordic unity and the historic evolution of Finnish relations to the other Nordic countries are understood as principal conditions and long-lasting structures. Against this background the shipwrecked economic union between Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden which was called Nordek is analysed as a case study for Finland's Nordic position. Central objects of the analysis are the mutual perceptions in the respective countries; the means with which Finland tried to avoid her isolation and simultaneously strengthen her Nordic reputation. It shows that positive and negative perceptions of Finland's role in the Nordek process were locked in combat. On one hand the Finnish retreat from the project shortly before the treaties were to be signed has weakened Finland's standing in Northern Europe, but on the other hand, in the long run Finland's participation in Nordic co-operation projects reached a new level and became self-understood.