National Dynamics is an online magazine, a publication which discusses Finnish society’s inherent ways of organizing. The aim is to bring into the spotlight Finnish society’s phenomena. The way of thinking represented by this publication is sought to be conveyed by the articles’ keywords. They are based on the systems-psychodynamic theory of large-group change processes. They describe the societal phenomena or themes in which difficulties arising from change have been found to be concentrated.
The publisher of this magazine is the think tank Dynamics of Groups and Societies, better known as RYD.
In addition to the magazine’s editor-in-chief Anja Salmi, the editorial board includes Olli Sinivaara, Aki-Mauri Huhtinen and Satu Engblom. In its editorial work, the magazine is committed to good journalistic practice.
National Dynamics is a platform for those who
- want to share their views and insights on Finland, its society and its people, and the wider world
- wish to apply those perceptions to current societal phenomena
- use them to influence matters
The magazine’s systemic psychodynamic angle of entry has a cross-disciplinary starting point that combines:
- psychoanalytic influences,
- group dynamic theories and practices, and
- the idea of roles and boundary consciousness in open systems.
The name of the online magazine National Dynamics is a direct play on the term national dynamics. The word national is taken from the exploration of the group dynamics specific to nations and states on the international stage. In the magazine’s title, the word national refers to the region where the online magazine operates – i.e., Finland. A clearer Finnish-language equivalent would be social, but because of its international connections, the magazine also uses the word national in its Finnish name.