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The article is based on a case study of second generation Karelian migrants, whose parents had to move to other parts of Finland from the region of Karelia that was ceded to the Soviet Union at the end of World War 11. The article poses the question, how long-lived diasporic identities are, and what are the conditions that affect assimilation or maintenance of a diasporic identity. In the Karelian migrants' case, already the first generation was quite successful in integrating with the rest of the Finnish society, and with the second generation, the integration has been practically complete, largely because of a short cultural distance between the evacuees and other Finns. A recent resurgence of interest in their roots by Karelian evacuees or their family members is primarily due to end of the Cold War and the possibility to freely and openly visit Karelia. Visiting Karelia has a ritual-like function for them. To that concrete, bodily experience of going there they can attach the abstract idea that in some ways they are Karelians and thus strengthen the emotional attachment to their roots. In that sense, visiting Karelia can also be described as a pilgrimage. Key Words: Diasporic identity, narration, ritual, Karelia, Finland, ethnicity, pilgrimage

There is a moral hierarchy of TV viewing, as revealed by a study of TV viewers in Finland. Shows with redeeming social value such as news are not justified by viewers, yet shows with lesser obvious redeeming social value, such as soap operas, are explicitly justified in the conversations of viewers. However, single women living alone do not justify watching soap operas, indicative of less defensiveness when men are not present.

Issues are discussed concerning the global developments in social sciences.