Jason Lavery

author of The History of Finland

November 4, 2015

Jason Lavery is an associate professor of history at Oklahoma State University. His areas of scholarly specialization are early modern Scandinavia and Germany, as well as modern Finland. Professor Lavery has published two books: Germany's Northern Challenge: The Holy Roman Empire and the Scandinavian Struggle for the Baltic 1563-1576 (Boston and Leiden: Brill Academic Press, 2002), and The History of Finland (Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2006). During the 2007-08 academic year, he will be a research fellow at the Collegium for Advanced Research at Helsinki University.

Finland has occupied the political, religious, cultural and economic border between eastern and western Europe since prehistoric times. Despite its peripheral location, the country has found itself in the mainstream of developments that created modern Europe, such as nationalism, world wars, industrialization, and the current political and economic integration. The first evidence of human life in Finland began sometime in the millennium 7,000-8,000 B.C. when small, tribal groups populated the area. In 1155, Finland became a part of the Swedish kingdom. Finland was annexed to Russia as a result of wars between the Swedish king and Russian rulers in 1809, bringing about the Age of Autonomy or Imperial Era. The Age of Independence came when Finland's leaders declared the country's political independence in 1917. Finland, along with several newly independent countries, had to find its place in the new Europe. The country created a secure and prosperous location during times of turmoil. It has emerged into a place of privilege, with high levels of prosperity, cultural achievements and social peace. Ideal for students and general readers, the History of Finland is part of Greenwood's Histories of Modern Nations series. With over thirty nation's histories in print, these books provide readers with a concise, up-to-date history of countries throughout the world. Reference features include a biographical section highlighting notable figures in Finland's history, a timeline of important historical events, and a bibliographical essay.

URL: https://library.okstate.edu/news/celebratingbooks/2008-honorees/jason-lavery

Last Updated: 14 January 2022