October 29, 2025

October 29, 2025 Sini Siitonen (UEF) “Maxim Gorky’s reception in Finland”

Abstract

The presentation outlines the preliminary findings of a dissertation project entitled The Finnish Reception of Maxim Gorky’s Literary Works, 1900–1939, currently being completed at the University of Eastern Finland. The research lies at the intersection of Literary Studies, Reception Studies, and Russian Literature, examining both Maxim Gorky’s connections to Finland and the reception of his works in Finland, the United States, and the Soviet Union.

The study offers new perspectives on the transnational dynamics of Russian literature. Gorky’s cultural status within the Finnish art world illustrates a crossing of conventional national boundaries, while the reception and evaluation of his work reflect not only the Finnish response to socialist realism but also the inherently transnational nature of socialist realism itself. This dissertation represents the first comprehensive investigation of Maxim Gorky’s influence within the Finnish cultural sphere.

Bio

Sini Siitonen graduated in Finnish Language and Cultural Research (UEF, 2024) and is currently a doctoral student at FILOTO.