Facing the Otherness: Crossing the Finnish-Soviet Estonian Border as Narrated by Finnish Tourists

Abstract

This study examines Finnish travellers' experiences of travelling across the sea frontier between Finland and Soviet Estonia during the period of 1965-1991. The article focuses on the narratives of Finnish tourists about border crossings and cultural encounters. The analysis concentrates on travellers' relations and conceptions of the former Soviet Estonia and their descriptions of facing cultural otherness during their travels. The concept of otherness is used as an analytical tool to interpret the narratives.

Keywords

• Finnish-Soviet Estonian border
• Soviet Estonia
• Finnish tourism
• narrative
• other-ness