Young people’s experiences of religious socialisation in Sweden and Finland

Abstract

The religious landscape in the Nordic countries has changed in recent decades. This article looks at what this means from the perspective of the religious socialisation experiences of Finnish and Swedish youth. Research has shown that the views and values of parents, family, friends, the youth culture and those that are prevalent in school and society as a whole are important for young people’s self-development. The intergenerational socialisation of religious traditions and values has diminished as societies have become more secularised. As this topic is scarcely researched, new studies are needed also on young people’s perspectives. This article aims to fill the research gap by investigating the kind of impact that parents, school and friends have on young people’s religious socialisation.