SOCIAL, CULTURAL AND INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION PRACTICES THE FINNISHRUSSIAN RELATIONSHIPS: THE INTERPLAY OF ECONOMICS, HISTORY, PSYCHOLOGY AND LANGUAGE Arto Mustajoki1 and Ekaterina Protassova2 1Faculty of Arts University of Helsinki, Unioninkatu 40, P.O. Box 24, 00014, Finland 2Department of Modern Languages University of Helsinki Unioninkatu 40, P.O. Box 24, 00014, Finland On the territories adjacent to the core Russia, the Russian language has had for centuries an established position as a language of culture, trade, war, statehood, and education. <...> The theoretical framework of the study reflects the field of cross-cultural communication, with special reference to Finnish-Russian intercultural encounters. <...> There is a certain set of prejudices connected with Russia that date back centuries and are periodically revived. <...> Recent events have reinforced some of them, and have enhanced the demand for experts on Russia and everything connected with it. <...> The language is undoubtedly considered the key to understanding what is happening with Finland’s Eastern neighbour. <...> The article aims to present the current discussions in the media, their meanings and functions. <...> Key words: Finnish-Russian relationships, language and intercultural competence, cross-border ties, neighbouring countries, historical borrowings. <...> Asymmetry in a relationship with a large neighbouring country may well be a big problem (e.g., Ireland, Portugal, the Netherlands, Greece and their big eastern neighbours). <...> There are obvious reasons why the relationship between Finland and Russia has been problematic. <...> As far as the Finns are concerned, Russian ‘otherness’ is evident in factors such as language (another language family, another alphabet) and religion (Lutheran vs. Orthodox); in values such as attitudes towards equality (Scandinavian democracy vs. the desire for a powerful leader, materialism vs. spiritualism, individualism vs. collectivism and legality vs. justice); 69 Russian Journal of Linguistics, Vestnik RUDN, 2015, N. 4 in mentality (rational vs. emotional thinking, a future orientation vs. an orientation to the present); and in ideology (small improvements vs. the desire for and a belief in immediate change, and the active role of individuals vs. reliance on others in solving problems). <...> It is hard to change stereotypes because they make people’s lives easier. <...> Some basic elements of ‘Western’ living have reached <...>