Huono-osaisin Suomi

Overview & Synopsis

This edited volume examines the lives of disadvantaged people in Finland during the early 2020s, shedding light on the most important resources and the most critical shortcomings that affected their ability to cope in a challenging societal context. The different aspects of being disadvantaged are considered by incorporating the perspective of life satisfaction and its four pillars: status, participation, services, and livelihood. The volume is based on two extensive national surveys conducted using hard-to-survey methods among recipients of food aid and clients of low-threshold services. In addition, the study draws on survey data collected from prisoners, as well as a population survey, as comparative material. These data make it possible to assess the social distance between disadvantaged groups and the general population. The findings highlight the limited opportunities of disadvantaged people to influence their everyday lives and quality of life. Although Finland remains one of the most egalitarian countries in the world, and society enabled disadvantaged groups to cope relatively well during the COVID-19 pandemic, disparities in comparison with the general population have persisted and, in some respects, widened in the early 2020s with regard to standard of living, quality of life, and lifestyles.