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Belief structures in civic online forest discussion
1Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences (ITC), Tampere University, Kalevantie 4, 33100, Tampere, Finland. veera.kangaspunta@tuni.fi.
Ambio
|August 14, 2026
Summary
Online civic discussions on forests in Finland reveal three key citizen belief structures: preservation-positive, forestry-positive, and compromise-seeking. These online debates critically engage with and supplement official forest policy discussions.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Social Science
- Communication Studies
- Forestry Policy Analysis
Background:
- Online civic discussion serves as a vital public debate forum, reflecting and complementing official discourse.
- Understanding citizen beliefs in online discussions is crucial for analyzing forest policy paradigms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify shared beliefs and belief structures in Finnish online forest-related debates.
- To examine how these online structures align with or challenge official forestry and preservation positions.
Main Methods:
- Multiphase qualitative and quantitative analyses were conducted on online user discussions about forests.
- Data was collected from five Finnish-language platforms in 2023.
Main Results:
- Three key belief structures were identified: preservation-positive, forestry-positive, and compromise-seeking.
- These structures both mirrored and contested established positions in official Finnish forest discussions.
Conclusions:
- Online forest discussions are important arenas for critique and fundamental value-based debate.
- Citizen belief structures in online forums offer insights into public engagement with forest policy.
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