Research projects at FO-RUM

The Linguistic Consequences of the Solutions in the Public Administration (LinCon)

Focus: Reforms of the regional and local administration, linguistic consequences, Swedish service

Timetable: 2008-2011

Financing: Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland

Project Coordinator: Professor Stefan Sjöblom, FO-RUM. For further information, please contact, Bettina Lindfors, +358 50 599 5244, bettina.c.lindfors(at)helsinki.fi.

Participants: Research and Co-operation Centre FO-RUM at Swedish School of Social Science (Helsinki University), Department of Public Administration at Åbo Akademi University and Åbo Akademi University in Vasa

Objective
The aim of the research is to analyze what kind of linguistic consequences the reforms of the regional and local administration during the last decade have had on the Finland -Swedish parts of Finland and on the Swedish language.

The research project focuses on four questions:

1. What kind of linguistic consequences have the reform policies during the last decade had on the regional and local level?
2. How are the central forms of service regulated and what does this then imply considering the future mode of action?
3. Which are the critical elements that cause changes in the linguistic service?
4. What linguistic consequences have the Project of restructuring of municipalities and services on its focus areas; education, social and health services?

The research project cooperates with Finland – Swedish authorities and institutions with certain responsibility of the linguistic service.

 The research is carried out in two phases: 

1.  The linguistic consequences of the solutions concerning the regional administration and the policy reforms

2. The linguistic consequences of the Project of restructuring the municipalities and services