Actors, discourses and relations in the Finnish newspapers' forest discussion : Enabling or constraining the sustainability transition?

Abstract
In many countries with plentiful forest resources, forests are at the core of the agendas to achieve sustainable societies. However, there is plenty of disagreement among societal actors about forest-related issues. This is also the case in Finland, where culture and income have traditionally relied on the forests. However, promoting the sustainability transition requires in-depth knowledge of the involved actors. The main goal of this article is to identify key actors, their discourses and relations in the Finnish newspaper discussion on forests and their utilization. The data consists of the leading national newspaper Helsingin Sanomat (HS) and Maaseudun Tulevaisuus (MT), which is addressed to rural actors. The sample consists of 283 articles from 2019 to 2021. Critical discourse analysis was chosen as the method of analysis. The key actors in HS were the researchers and politicians and in MT the forest-based companies, forest owners and their interest organizations. In MT hegemonic discourses originated from the needs of forest owners and businesses whereas in HS the forest per se was the origin of many discourses, with a focus on forest-related policies and environmental sustainability. In both newspapers, politicians were seen as the most powerful actors steering the forest-related transition. Otherwise, direct discussion of power relations was almost non-existent. Forest industries were criticized rarely, and large companies had a passive role in the debates. Market sector actors hold existing structures, creating structural power that hampers the change. However, there are signals that many actors are seeking platforms to create shared understandings.
Main Authors
Format
Articles Research article
Published
2024
Series
Subjects
Publication in research information system
Publisher
Elsevier
The permanent address of the publication
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:jyu-202409246047Use this for linking
Review status
Peer reviewed
ISSN
1389-9341
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2024.103331
Language
English
Published in
Forest Policy and Economics
Citation
  • Näyhä, A., & Wallius, V. (2024). Actors, discourses and relations in the Finnish newspapers' forest discussion : Enabling or constraining the sustainability transition?. Forest Policy and Economics, 169, Article 103331. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2024.103331
License
CC BY 4.0Open Access
Funder(s)
Research Council of Finland
Funding program(s)
Academy Research Fellow, AoF
Akatemiatutkija, SA
Research Council of Finland
Additional information about funding
BuSuT-project funded by the Research Council of Finland (formerly Academy of Finland) under grant number 340756.
Copyright© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.

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author Näyhä, Annukka Wallius, Venla
author_facet Näyhä, Annukka Wallius, Venla
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description In many countries with plentiful forest resources, forests are at the core of the agendas to achieve sustainable societies. However, there is plenty of disagreement among societal actors about forest-related issues. This is also the case in Finland, where culture and income have traditionally relied on the forests. However, promoting the sustainability transition requires in-depth knowledge of the involved actors. The main goal of this article is to identify key actors, their discourses and relations in the Finnish newspaper discussion on forests and their utilization. The data consists of the leading national newspaper Helsingin Sanomat (HS) and Maaseudun Tulevaisuus (MT), which is addressed to rural actors. The sample consists of 283 articles from 2019 to 2021. Critical discourse analysis was chosen as the method of analysis. The key actors in HS were the researchers and politicians and in MT the forest-based companies, forest owners and their interest organizations. In MT hegemonic discourses originated from the needs of forest owners and businesses whereas in HS the forest per se was the origin of many discourses, with a focus on forest-related policies and environmental sustainability. In both newspapers, politicians were seen as the most powerful actors steering the forest-related transition. Otherwise, direct discussion of power relations was almost non-existent. Forest industries were criticized rarely, and large companies had a passive role in the debates. Market sector actors hold existing structures, creating structural power that hampers the change. However, there are signals that many actors are seeking platforms to create shared understandings.
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spellingShingle Actors, discourses and relations in the Finnish newspapers' forest discussion : Enabling or constraining the sustainability transition? Näyhä, Annukka Wallius, Venla forest-based sector Finland actor relations power politics sustainability transition metsätalous metsätalousmaa vihreä siirtymä kestävä kehitys joukkoviestimet toimijat kestävä metsätalous sanomalehdet metsäpolitiikka Forest Policy and Economics
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title Actors, discourses and relations in the Finnish newspapers' forest discussion : Enabling or constraining the sustainability transition?
title_full Actors, discourses and relations in the Finnish newspapers' forest discussion : Enabling or constraining the sustainability transition?
title_fullStr Actors, discourses and relations in the Finnish newspapers' forest discussion : Enabling or constraining the sustainability transition?
title_full_unstemmed Actors, discourses and relations in the Finnish newspapers' forest discussion : Enabling or constraining the sustainability transition?
title_short Actors, discourses and relations in the Finnish newspapers' forest discussion : Enabling or constraining the sustainability transition?
title_sort Actors discourses and relations in the Finnish newspapers forest discussion Enabling or constraining the sustainability transition
topic forest-based sector Finland actor relations power politics sustainability transition metsätalous metsätalousmaa vihreä siirtymä kestävä kehitys joukkoviestimet toimijat kestävä metsätalous sanomalehdet metsäpolitiikka