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Voluntary associations in Finland have traditionally dominated the field of collective action and been core agents in the (re)production of hegemonic blocs. Major changes in the institution of voluntary association may have a greater impact on the Finnish political regime than in many other countries, so the Finnish case might serve as a laboratory for the analysis of general tendencies of associational development common to all developed democracies. This article addresses (1) the main differences between older and newer types of associations, (2) the challenge posed by the development of a new type of hegemony to the ability of new kinds of associations to create general trust and solidarity between the various actors, (3) who or what needs voluntary associations in the new hegemony, and (4) the unique consequences of changing associations to the Finnish type of polity regime.

During the 20th century five cycles of protest have emerged in Finland: 1905‐18, 1928‐32, 1944‐48, 1966‐76, and the continuing cycle of new social movements beginning around the end of the 1970s. This article begins with an examination of the differences and similarities in the formation of these cycles against the background of antecedent political opportunity structures. The question of the relationship between social protest movements and formal voluntary associations is then addressed. It is shown that social movements and formal voluntary associations have been interactive, mutually reinforcing ways of reacting to different manifestations of social crisis. Existing formal associations have created the preconditions for the occurrence of protest movements and vice versa: new voluntary associations have been born out of cycles of protest and protest movements. Movements and voluntary associations have also been central in creating pressures for reforming state institutions and thus in developing the Finnish welfare state.

Charakteristisch für das finnische Vereins- und Verbändewesen ist, dass fast alle relevanten sozialen Bewegungen formal organisiert sind und sich nach dem Inkrafttreten des Vereinigungsrechts im Jahr 1919 registriert haben. Der Beitrag betrachtet zunächst die historische Entwicklung des finnischen Verbändesystems und widmet sich daran anschließend der Vereinigungsfreiheit als Recht und der Mitgliedschaft in Vereinen und Verbänden in Finnland. Nach einem Blick auf die verschiedenen Vereinstypen werden schließlich die Beziehungen der Verbände zum politischen System Finnlands analysiert. (ICB2)

This volume addresses issues of precariousness in a broad, interdisciplinary perspective, looking at socio-economic transformations as well as the identity formation and political organizing of precarious people. The collection bridges empirical research with social theory to problematize and analyse the precariat