This collection of papers was produced under the auspices of the project A people divided by the border: trends in the ethnic identity, religion and language of the Karelians, 1809-2009, funded by the Academy of Finland and the Russian State Fund for the Humanities (RGNF), during the years 2010–2012. The research involved is centred on the activities of the churches and religious organizations in Karelia, the schools and other channels by which the authorities in Russia and Finland attempted to influence the Karelians’ ethnic identity and use of their own language. This book is the first attempt to introduce the Karelians and their history and culture from the Russian and Finnish points of view simultaneously, and it is hoped that it will lead to a better understanding of them in their home countries and abroad and to better cross-border relations between them.