Finnish active reservists’ militarism and voluntary national defence participation

Abstract

The Russian attack on Ukraine stirred the Finnish society and set off a wave of national defence volunteerism. While voluntary participation in national defence is not a new phenomenon in Finland, volunteers have received little academic attention outside the armed forces, but this trend is now turning. This article helps us to better understand the personal motives that influence national defence volunteering as well as how the relationship between citizens and the state is visible in the context of national defence. The results are tied to discussions about spatial belonging, militarism and citizenship and the article calls for a need to further refine the understanding of legitimation of violence within critical military studies. Using interview data, the article links motivation to issues such as the perceived threat from Russia and the transgenerational passage of values.  Issues that frame the relationship between active reservists and the state includes, agency within state structures and the shared responsibility of national defence.