Eteläpohjalaisuuden tuottaminen sosioemotionaalisessa sähköpostiviestinnässä

A starting point for the study was on the one hand interest in regional identity and on the other hand certain astonishment towards the number of e-mails related to South Ostrobothnia received by the researchers. Thus the focus of this study is to examine how regional identity might be constructed by e-mails related to the region in question. E-mails (28) connected with South Ostrobothnia were outlined as objects for the study both because the authors have South Ostrobothnian background and because the South Ostrobothnians are said to have very strong regional identity. Theoretical frame of reference in the article is in the studies of socio-emotional e-mail communication and e-mail debate. In addition, also regional identity theory is used. The study is motivated by interest in the nature of modern tradition in digital setting. Therefore, one aim is to study what elements of South Ostrobothnia are present in the e-mail messages and how these elements adjust to the typical socio-emotional e-mail communication contents and different media elements. E-mail messages are hypothesised to be part of both e-mail humour and A4 (copy) humour and to produce impressions of South Ostrobothnia in a new form. A more comprehensive intention is to bring out new kind of machinery of regional identity and especially the meaning of socio-emotional e-mail communication to regional identity. In this case, it is supposed that regional identity is born and maintained through institutionalized mechanism, but also through Internet, electronic media, and computer mediated communication.