SAUNA, SISU AND SIBELIUS - ETHNIC-IDENTITY AMONG FINNISH AMERICANS

This article uses an ethnographic approach to explore ethnic identity among second- and third-generation Finnish Americans. Analysis of qual itative data yielded four second- and twelve first-order latent dimens ions: (1) ethnicity and the self (affinity, recognition, behavior and identity), (2) orientation to Finland (immigrant generation, ancestral homeland, and contemporary Finland), (3) real world ethnicity (ethnic infrastructure, family and ethnicity, and everyday life), and (4) eth nicity as social construction (symbolic ethnicity and creating ethnici ty). This multidimensional measurement model reflects a constructionis t approach to ethnicity.