| Summary: | In the article, I study the construction process ofthe regional identity of South Karelia. The focus ison studying representations of regional identity byinterpreting regional journalism between the years1946 and 2006. Before the Second World War, SouthKarelia was very much a part of the Karelian Isthmusand the Province of Vyborg. However, as a result ofthe war, the border between Finland and the SovietUnion shifted and completely divided the areaof South Karelia. The strip left on the Finnish sidewas further forced to construct its regional identityunder massively changed circumstances. This wasnot an easy task for South Karelia. The areas thatformed the new province were quite heterogeneousand the unifying factors between them were minor.Another key question was the impact of the easternborder on the subsistence of South Karelia. Duringthe past six decades, the shift has been enormous.The border has changed from a closed one to aEuropean-Russian gateway area. Also in terms ofculture and identity, this transformation has meantgrowing cross-border activity, which has opened importantdiscussions about the future regional possibilitiesand threats regarding regional identity.
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