Every now and then there are critical voices that shine through fearlessly. One of these is that of Aminkeng A. Alemanji, a Cameroonian researcher who defended successfully in October 2016 his doctoral dissertation on anti-racism education.
Read on »Posts Tagged: Multiculturalism
YLE parliamentary working group: Broadcaster is “diverse but not multicultural”
A parliamentary working group chaired by National Coalition Party (NCP) MP Arto Satonen to examine the role of the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE) is not proposing any drastic change to the system of funding but plans to make the broadcaster more nationalistic.
Read on »Case Downtown Helsinki: How the police ethnically profile people
During the weekend, the police service together with the Finnish Border Guard wilfully targetted foreigners for spot identity checks in Helsinki, Espoo, and Vantaa. Migrant Tales heard of a case in Kamppi where four young men were walking. The police stopped two young Finns, one who was black- and brown-skinned.
Read on »Canadian Aboriginal activist and cross-cultural expert Sandi Boucher visits Finland
There was a historic encounter in Finland last week when the first ever visitor of North America’s Ojibwe Nation, Sandi Boucher, came to meetings in Helsinki during UN Anti-Racism Week.
Read on »What Finland lacks to become a successful culturally diverse country like Canada
Anti-immigration populists and ultranationalist use the code term “immigration policy” to mean that they don’t want non-EU nationals especially Muslims from the Middle East and Africa to move to their country. Finland is no exception and they point to Canada as an example of successful immigration policy that we could emulate.
Read on »Writer Nura Farah is one of the bright hopes of multicultural Finland
Nura Farah is Finland’s first published writer with Somali roots. She moved to Finland as a refugee in the early 1990s when she was 13 years after her country became tangled in a costly and painful civil war that continues to date.
Read on »Why are integration programs in Finland doomed to failure?
Here’s the billion-euro question: Why are integration programs in Finland usually doomed to failure? What can Finland and Europe learn from countries like Canada that have a more successful approach to integration?
Read on »Migrant Tales (March 22, 2012): Is Finland ready for cultural diversity?
In light of social ills like racism and social exclusion in Finland, J. W. Berry of Queen’s University of Canada offers us an opportunity to ask a very important question: Are we in Finland ready for cultural diversity? If we still aren’t quite there yet, how long will it take?
Read on »Facebook: Does “Finnish labor” include migrants, naturalized Finns and minorities?
One of the members of the new government, the right-wing populist Perussuomalaiset (PS)* party, said that jobs will be created for Finnish labor. In the present anti-immigration environment in Finland, such statements have a hostile ring to migrants, naturalized Finns and minorities since they don’t promote inclusion and fair hiring practices.
Read on »UPDATE (Mar. 6): Migrant Tales’ 2015 Hall of Poor and Sloppy Journalism
Migrant Tales’ 2015 Hall of Poor and Sloppy Journalism will be updated separately. To see other examples of opinionated journalism in Finland about cultural diversity, please go to this link. Mar. 6 Yli puolet nuorista on kokenut syrjintää – ongelmia eniten kouluissa (Helsingin Sanomat) What’s the missing story in this story? Migrant Tales has written before
Read on »Sweden Democrats openly attack cultural diversity – will the PS of Finland follow their example?
In a clear attempt to cash in on the anti-immigration sentiment, Sweden Democrat party secretary Björn Söder said that minorities like the Saami could never be Swedes and was willing to pay immigrants to leave the country, reports The Local. The mere suggestion that Sweden is only a country of white Swedes reveals the racist
Read on »World Café ponders if Porvoo, Finland, is a multicultural city
Migrant Tales insight: The World Café concept is an excellent way to empower and encourage people to participate and promote active citizenship. This World Café session, which took place in Porvoo on May 17, and asked participants to give their views on how cultural diversity is faring in the city. One of the important findings
Read on »Jussi Halla-aho: France the football giant
Migrant Tales insight: We get a lot of email and tip-offs from our readers. The latest one we got is of three blog entry translations in English of Perussuomalaiset (PS)* MEP Jussi Halla-aho, who was convicted for ethnic agitation. This second one, France the football giant, was published in Scripta on July 2, 2006. Apart from understanding
Read on »How long will the Finnish police resist ethnic and cultural diversity?
Much of Finland is still living in a world where nothing is supposed to change as our society becomes ever-culturally and ethnically diverse. We read about the Sikh busman Gill Sukhdarshan Singh, who had to wait for a year to get the right to wear a turban at work, a Muslim woman who was fired
Read on »The high price of being too alike and not thinking outside the ethnic and national box
Some may correctly ask what is the price Finland pays today for its lack of cultural and ethnic diversity. Finding answers to this question would require some serious thinking outside our ethnic and national box. This question is an important one today for two reasons: Our population is seeing dramatic changes due to the graying of
Read on »Espoo city council votes against racism
A proposal by the Perussuomalaiset (PS) to rewrite the City of Espoo’s multicultural programme because it stated that city residents “don’t tolerate racism” were voted down 64-10, reports Länsiväylä. Two PS councilmen, Simon Elo (left) and Teemu Lahtinen, loathe Muslims and cultural diversity. Read full story (in Finnish) here. If one reads closely the position of the PS, an anti-EU, anti-immigration
Read on »Finland never was, is, and will be only “white”
Whenever a far right politician like Perussuomalaiset (PS) MP Olli Immonen, Jussi Halla-aho or James Hirvisaari comment on what is or who has the right to be Finnish, they always get it wrong. Their views, that Finland is only white, is not only wrong but a hostile act towards the tens of thousands of Finns
Read on »Where are you from?
Even if I have lived most of my adult life in Finland and my mother is Finnish, I’m still asked occasionally where I’m from. In a spirit of mutual respect, I ask the person the same question. Some don’t like it. The innocent question, where are you from, reveals a lot about our prejudices and
Read on »“Only Finnish spoken here” versus cultural diversity
What would you do if you saw on an elementary school classroom door the following message: Only Finnish spoken here? Would you ask if speaking Swedish is ok? Would it raise disturbing memories of how minorities like the Saami were persecuted and discouraged at school especially after World War 2 for speaking their own language?
Read on »Migrant Tales Literary: Boycott تحریم
By Dana نه رفیق و خانواده چهره ها پر از افاده نه در و نه پنجره، راه مهر وموم و قفل و هم چاه نه کلید و رحمت و نور همه کس بگویدت زور تازیانه می زند هار دیو زشت موذی
Read on »How can we challenge racism if it isn’t a problem?
As long as we don’t see racism as a big enough problem in our society, our response to it will be inefficient. Just like any illness, we must first diagnose it and then prescribe a cure. It’s disappointing to read how some people can insult others in a racist manner. Yesterday’s news story published
Read on »How can immigrants and visible minorities clear the minefields of misinformation?
There is an interesting news story on today’s YLE that raises a timely question: Not why there is so much misinformation spead about immigrants, but what does this reveal about us as a society? Does it bring to light ignorance or a subtle conspiracy that permits us to have and eat our racist cake simultaneously?
Read on »It’s the cultural diversity, stupid!
Would it be fair to say that the biggest challenge facing Finland during this century is accepting its cultural diversity and deconstructing our white national identity in order to make our society more inclusive? Will this happen easily? The central issue being debated in Finland today about immigrants boils down to one question: How much
Read on »Racism Review: Mixed Race, Pretty Face
It was once thought multiracial children were destined to be confused, inwardly conflicted and maladjusted. “Think of the children”, used to be the warning used to discourage interracial couples from marrying. Mixed-race children often faced discrimination and prejudice. Experts worried that these children would suffer from poor self-esteem and lack of identity (Fields, Julianna. Multiracial
Read on »Journalists should question instead of spread racism and prejudice
Journalists are one group that have helped to spread and reinforce our prejudices and racism of other groups. There’s nothing surprising about this considering that journalists, like the media that employs them, mirror in part what the public feels. Ilta-Sanomat is one tabloid resonsible for spreading racism in Finland during the 1990s. This billboard tells
Read on »Abdirahim’s and Ali’s radio show begins today at 1pm on YLE
Abdirahim Hussein and Ali Jahangiri kick off their weekly hour-long radio program on YLE today at 1pm. I know both persons. I especially like Abdirahim because his sincere no-nonsense about cultural diversity issues. Ali is a talented speaker as well, trying to use humor to address a serious social ill like racism and acceptance. One
Read on »Migrant Tales video blog entry: President Sauli Niinistö’s New Year address 2013
Here’s Migrant Tales’ first-ever video blog entry. We plan to publish more of these in 2013 in English, Finnish as well as in other languages. This is a first attempt so I’m certain there’s a lot of room for improvement. We’ll get better at them as we get more practice.
Read on »Promoting tolerance now and tomorrow
In Migrant Tales’ Finland & Cultural Diversity 2012 review, it’s clear that a lot more work needs to be done to promote tolerance. Thanks to Umayya Abu-Hanna’s column on Sunday’s Helsingin Sanomat,* our collective complacency was once again shamefully revealed. Racism, or the lack of acceptance of other ethnic groups as equals in our society,
Read on »Finland & Cultural Diversity 2012*
If 2011 was a watershed year for Finland with the historic rise of a hostile party against immigrants and visible minorities in last year’s parliamentary elections, 2012 will be seen as a bittersweet turning point for the Perussuomalaiset (PS). The year will be remembered as a very violent one for immigrants as well. During “Black
Read on »Mulitucltural Ireland’s vision should be ours as well
Why is it that we don’t hear Finnish politicians speaking in the same manner as Ireland’s President Michael D. Higgins, who said that a major task of the country’s EU presidency should be to remove ignorance and misunderstanding, which lead to “incipient forms of racism,” writes the Irishtimes.com. Speaking at the launch of the Neighborhood
Read on »Migrant Tales gets mentioned on YLE Areena
Migrant Tales is always happy about the public recognition it has received in the past. The latest is from Mikko Kapanen of YLE Areena. He considers Migrant Tales to be one of the most influential blogs forums on multiculturalism in Finland. Click here to listen to the program. Kapanen published in May a blog entry called, Africa
Read on »Racism charges dropped against Danish teacher
Charges have been dropped against an Odense, Denmark, head teacher who had reportedly abused a group of Muslim students in class, reports The Copenhagen Post. Far-right anti-Islam Danish People’s Party former head, Pia Kjaersgaard, described the whole affair as ”ridiculous.” “It’s crazy that the police have to get involved in such a case,” Danish People’s
Read on »Julian Abagond: Of mixed-race identities
COMMENT: Some Finns have resolved the “mixed-ethnicity” question by stating that there is only one kind in Finland. Such an affirmation, that there is only one type of “real” Finn, is as ludicrous as stating that racism doesn’t exist in this country. What does a white Finn say when he asks about your “other mixed”
Read on »Enrique Tessieri: Why I write about racism
I write about racism and social exclusion in Finland because it affects me and those I care about. I should know because I used to live marginalized from this society for decades. I didn’t live marginalized because I was maladapted. I was marginalized because I was well-adapted. Too many didn’t consider me a “real” Finn
Read on »Sandhu Bhamra: If you are not White, you are not-Canadian-enough
By Sandhu Bhamra* Are you Canadian? I am not talking legality on right to vote and accessing free healthcare, but the sense of being, being Canadian. Let me walk you through a mini questionnaire to help you understand where I am going with this: When you think of Canadian identity, what do you think of?
Read on »Sandhu Bhamra: “Who do you think you are?”
Sandhu Bhamra* That was the title under which three young Canadian authors discussed issues of identity, location and language at the recently concluded Indian Summer Festival in Vancouver. The three, Anosh Irani, David Chariandy and Gurjinder Basran – from different backgrounds discussed how heritage, culture, memories and language shaped their work. At the end of
Read on »Second-generation Finns: Revealing society’s ignorance and arrogance
If we look at the ongoing one-sided debate on immigration, immigrants and Finland’s ever-growing cultural diversity, one matter is for certain: It does not help dispel prejudices that encourage racism and social exclusion. While I am certain that most Finns are willing to make immigration and cultural diversity work, it is a totally different question
Read on »Migrant Tales Literary: Yearning never waits
I made one of the greatest discoveries of my life in 1998 at the Finnish Seamen’s Church of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Even if such pleasant interior landscapes no longer witness my silence and stance, they are now distant memories that have turned into spacious imaginary cities in the mind where each building has a tale to tell, whispering.
Read on »Don’t give racism a platform!
I’m fed up. I’m fed up of certain commentators visiting us here on Migrant Tales to spread lies and personal insults and to disrespect other cultures. Those that ONLY have terrible things to say about specific peoples (as opposed to cultural criticism) really are practicing extremism. How could it be otherwise? When we condemn totalitarianism,
Read on »Finland’s cultural diversity debate: Patronizing a minority into complacency
One of the big issues concerning the ongoing debate on Finland’s ever-growing cultural diversity is that rarely are we asked our opinion. A good example was Friday’s Helsingin Sanomat, which asked only white Finns whether Finland understand the threat that racism poses and if such a threat is taken seriously.
Read on »Finland’s cultural diversity debate: Patronizing a minority into complacency
One of the big issues concerning the ongoing debate on Finland’s ever-growing cultural diversity is that rarely are we asked our opinion. A good example was Friday’s Helsingin Sanomat, which asked only white Finns whether Finland understand the threat that racism poses and if such a threat is taken seriously.
Read on »The big picture of Finnish society in the twenty-first century
One of the biggest unanswered questions when debating our ever-culturally diverse society in Finland during this century is trying to make out what the big picture is. Do we have to search faraway to forge that big picture or are the answers right under our noses?
Read on »Multiculturalism: An outlook on life that dare not speak its name…..
Remember the prime minister’s speech in Munich attacking multiculturalism exactly one year ago? We take a look here at the way opponents of his ‘muscular liberalism’ thesis have been considering the issue in the 12 months since..
Read on »The Migrant Tales Manifesto (for Finland and Europe)
Thanks to the growing number of supporters, Migrant Tales has become that “voice for those whose views and situation are understood poorly and heard faintly by the media, politicians and public.” During these past years we have read and debated many points of views and have complied them on a list below.
Read on »A good immigration integration policy for Finland and Europe
One of the biggest challenges to Finland’s new integration program is how well it promotes what it set out to do. How passionate are we Finns about ethnic and minority equality in this country if the most important piece of the puzzle is still missing: the big picture and what place new Finns and their children have in our society.
Read on »Let's keep Finland a good country to live in
When I grew up in Finland during part of my childhood and adolescence one matter became clear: I wanted to move here permanently when I became an adult. How did I succeed at making a living in Finland back in the 1980s and beyond?
Read on »guardian.co.uk: Australia set to recognise Aborigines as first people of continent*
Australia is poised to make historic changes to its constitution, recognising Aborigines as the country’s original inhabitants and removing the last clauses of state-sanctioned racial discrimination.
Read on »What we should reflect on Finland’s Independence Day
Since I grew up in three countries, I have the opportunity to celebrate three independence days every year. Today is Finland’s turn. What should we be reflecting on this day? Should it be nationalism, patriotism or neither?
Read on »How well does Finland’s school system educate children with immigrant backgrounds?
A story on the Guardian praises Finland’s educational system for setting a “great example” in educating immigrant children. While I am certain there are many success stories out there, are matters that rosy as the London daily claims?
Read on »How to confront anti-immigration parties in the Nordic region
The societies of the Nordic countries are still models for the rest of Europe and the world when it comes to social justice, equality, and inclusion. Slower economic growth is not the only threat that they face today, but an ever-growing minority that believes that exclusion of certain groups is acceptable.
Read on »Otavan Sanomat: Monikulttuurisia suomalaisia*
Mitä tarkoita olla nuori ja niin sanottu maahanmuuttajataustainen Suomessa? Miten, jos olet asunut melkein koko elämäsi Suomessa ja yksi tai molemmat vanhemmistasi ovat siirtolaisia? Kuulutko silloin tähän maan?
Read on »Helsingin Sanomat’s mea culpa on immigration issues
Is lack of knowledge about living in a society with a small foreign population an excuse for poor and deficient coverage of Finland’s ever-growing immigrant population? The editor of Finland’s leading daily, Helsingin Sanomat, told Lahti-based Etelä-Suomen Sanomat that it has aimed to raise immigrant issues, racism and tolerance issues since society is changing and because of the political atmosphere has changed.
Read on »Journalism and Blog Writing for Immigrants and Finns (March 2012)
Journalism and Blog Writing for Immigrants and Finns is a course designed for those who have an interest in journalism/blog writing and who speak English as a second language. The course offers the participant an opportunity to learn reporting and interviewing techniques as well as writing news stories, editorials, and columns. Another important part of the course is to study the role journalism plays in guaranteeing civil liberties such as freedom of expression and furthering acceptance of minorities such as immigrants.
Read on »If Finland is serious about stamping out racism…
If our society is a model of social justice for other countries to emulate, why would we tolerate discrimination and all types of racism? Which group are the biggest threat to our society: immigrants or anti-immigration groups?
Read on »HS.fi: Valtaosa pääkaupunkiseudun vanhemmista haluaisi kiintiöt maahanmuuttajaoppilaille
Enemmistö pääkaupunkiseudun peruskouluikäisten lasten vanhemmista haluaisi koulujen rajoittavan maahanmuuttajataustaisten oppilaiden osuutta luokissa. Vanhempien kanta ilmenee Helsingin Sanomien TNS Gallupilla teettämästä mielipidemittauksesta.
Read on »Bilingualism will supercharge your brain or is it that easy?
My blood pressure rises every time I hear people state nonchalantly that travelling enriches. If this were the case, why are some societies hostile to some people like immigrants who are growing up in two or more cultures? I was brought up in three national cultures and spoke three languages as a child.
Read on »Brain drain from Finland set to get worse as anti-immigration sentiment grows
Think tank Research Institute of the Finnish Economy (ETLA) states in a report that Finland already suffers from brain drain “to some extent.” With the backdrop of the April 17 election and a more negative atmosphere towards immigrants, coupled with the cooling of the economy, suggest that brain drain will continue to get worse.
Read on »YLE: Ruotsalaisen maahanmuuttajalähiön pahiskoulusta tuli palkittu eliittikoulu
Ruotsin monikulttuurisimman lähiön koulua johtava Börje Ehrstrand kertoo Aamu-tv:n haastattelussa, kuinka ongelmakoulusta tuli palkittu opinahjo. Rehtorin mukaan menestyksen salaisuus on sama kuin ongelmakin oli: monikultturisuus.
Read on »Are we all Finns?
It is a nice idea when some people state to immigrants that “we are all Finns.” I am certain that the person who makes such a statement has the best intentions in mind. However, isn’t it our right to choose who we are on our terms? Affirming that “we are all Finns” is as absolute of a statement as claiming “we are not Finns.”
Read on »Ten matters that ignite the debating spirit of Migrant Tales
Migrant Tales will never censor opinions that aren’t racist. One of the strengths of this blog has been its diversity of opinions on immigration, Finnish identity and other topics. Even so, some matters get our adrenalin circulating faster than others. Here are the top 10:
Read on »What the far right in Finland really means when it says “multiculturalism sucks ass”
If one reads the anti-immigration rhetoric of the far-right wing of the Perussuomalaiset (PS) party led by MP Jussi Halla-aho, you will eventually find the racism and the meaning behind their discourse. Almost everything they claim and object to boils down to one matter: Stop Muslims and non-Europeans from coming to Finland and Europe.
Read on »Finnish identity on one’s own terms
One of the matters that has turned me off about Finland for a long time is that I haven’t been allowed to embrace my Finnishness on my terms. By my terms I mean defining what Finnish identity means personally to me.
Read on »Thank you for making Migrant Tales what it is today
My personal gratitude goes to all the bloggers that have made Migrant Tales “a voice for those immigrants and minorities whose views and situation are understood poorly and heard faintly by the media, politicians and public.”
Read on »The magic word is acceptance, acceptance and mutual acceptance!
A crucial term like acceptance is still very little used in Finland when debating about our culturally diverse society. Another key term is equal opportunity.Politicians, public officials, the general public, including immigrants, should use these terms in everyday speech when speaking about our society.
Read on »Migration patters among Jews – Finland
Finland’s Jewish community is small, but active. Its small size and unique characteristics allow us to understand the migratory patterns of this community and to use the data to extrapolate the migration patterns in Finland to larger Jewish communities in Eastern Europe. Finland aligned itself with Nazi Germany against the Soviet Union 1941-1944. Finnish Jews fought in the Finnish army, occasionally side by side with the Germans.
Read on »Exposing the language of anti-immigration groups in Finland and Europe
One of the most surprising factors behind the hate speech of anti-immigration groups is that it is never portrayed as hatred. Racists never admit in public they are racists nor do far-right groups claim that they are extremists.
Read on »Far-right thinking and the cold war in Finland and the PS
The rise of far-right thinking and nationalism in Finland seen through the Perussuomalaiset (PS) party is nothing new in the face of Finland’s long cold war isolation. Finnish-Soviet relations were not the only one that were under close scrutiny by the state, but how we interpreted our history and ourselves as a nation. That is now changing thanks to the reemergence of our ever-growing diversity as a nation.
Read on »Migrant Tales Arts: Toiveeni – niin kaukana, niin lähellä 23.8-3.9 (Malmitalo, Helsinki)
Valokuvanäyttely kertoo Suomessa asuvien maahanmuuttajien unelmista ja toiveista uudessa kotimaassaan.
Avoinna arkisin ma–pe 9–20, la 9–16.
Enrique Tessieri’s photography exhibition of some of the dreams and hopes that immigrants may have in their new homeland.
Open Mon–Fri from 9 am to 8 pm, Sat from 9 am to 4 pm.
Fotografiutställning av Enrique Tessieri om några invandrares drömmar och önskemål beträffande sitt nya hemland.
Öppet vardagar må-fr 9–20, lö 9–16.
Read on »The New York Review of Books: Toleration and the Future of Europe
In Anders Breivik’s manifesto, the ostensibly Christian defeat of the Ottoman armies at Vienna in 1683 is the central historical event. He imagines a European rebirth in 2083, four hundred years later, and names the Polish king Jan Sobieski, whose troops were crucial to raising the Ottoman siege, as one of his heroes: “John III Sobieski and the Holy League successfully defended Europe against an army of more than 150,000 Muslims.” Breivik thinks Europe today is again under siege from Muslims, and that Europeans must resort to “atrocious, but necessary” violence to defend it. It is unsurprising that what Breivik has to say about European history is trivial. The plagiarism of his manifesto recalls Hannah Arendt’s point that those who do great evil may themselves be incapable of cultural creation. The superficiality of his worldview recalls her notion that the greatest of evils has no roots, and therefore has no bounds. But since the reference to Vienna has largely passed without criticism, it is worth recalling for a moment what actually happened in 1683.
Read on »A model for cultural diversity in Finland
While the term multiculturalism means many things to many people and groups, Finland is not officially a multicultural country. Nowhere in our laws will you find that magic adjective, multicultural. But taking that big leap from the perception of being a monolithic ethnic society from one that is multicultural like Canada is a tall order for any country. Even so, Finland needs today best practice models and values that promote and encourage inclusion and acceptance of our ever-growing cultural diversity.
Read on »Spiegel Online International: European Right Under Pressure in Wake of Attacks
Europe’s right-wing populists are not used to being on the defensive. But the perpetrator of last Friday’s horrific attacks in Norway was steeped in their anti-immigration, Muslim-skeptical ideology. They now find themselves in an uncomfortable position.
Read on »guardian.co.uk: Anders Behring Breivik had no legitimate grievance
Despite the fact that Anders Behring Breivik was not permitted to publicly justify his actions in public on Monday, a scrambling defence of his repertoire of prejudice is already in full swing. Writing in the Wall Street Journal, Bruce Bawer, who is quoted by Breivik in his manifesto 2083: A European Declaration of Independence, emphasises his repeated warnings that a rightwing extremist may use violence to address “legitimate concerns about genuine problems”. Bawer blames mainstream politics for failing to address the corrosion of Europe by Islamicisation and multiculturalism, meanwhile The Jerusalem Post cautions that “Oslo’s devastating tragedy should not be allowed to be manipulated by those who would cover up the abject failure of multiculturalism”.
Read on »SPIEGEL Interview with Economics Minister Rösler: “I Used to Dream I Was a Vietnamese Prince”
German Economics Minister Philipp Rösler, who was adopted into a German family from Vietnam at a young age, insists that he never had problems because of his background. He spoke with SPIEGEL about integration, discrimination and what it means to be German.
Read on »New World Finn: How many Finnish Canadians and USAmericans?
During the late-19th century and early 20th century, over 300,000 people from Finland migrated to the United States and, to a lesser extent, Canada. While there had been a sporadic flow of immigration before the mid-19th century, the bulk of the migration did not start until about 1870.
Read on »Debating Finland’s cultural diversity is opening up old wounds
Ever wonder why immigrants, multicultural Finns, immigration to Finland and refugees don’t have any history in Finland? If historical importance could be measured like a loaf of bread, the history of older minorities like the Saami, Roma, Tartars, Jews and others would be mere crumbs.
Read on »Time: Why Speaking More than One Language May Delay Alzheimer’s
There are many ways in which speaking another language may contribute to a well-lived life. You can talk to a whole lot more of Earth’s inhabitants, for one thing. You can also enjoy books, music and films in their original language, and throw a few more “skills” onto your résumé. Now add to that list the findings of new studies suggesting that speaking multiple languages may also help protect cognitive health over the long term.
Read on »YLE: Lapset ja nuoret törmäävät yhä näkyvämpään rasismiin
Lasten ja nuorten arjessaan kohtaama rasismi on yhä näkyvämpää. Tutkija arvelee, että viime kevään vaaleissa esille nousseet maahanmuuttokriittiset puheenvuorot ovat tehneet kärjekkäästä ja näkyvästä maahanmuuttokriittisyydestä aiempaa hyväksytympää.
Read on »Turun Sanomat: Emämaan unohtama kansanosa
Turku on ollut viime päivinä poikkeuksellisella tavalla kansainvälinen kohtauspaikka. Täällä on kokoontunut tuhansia ulkosuomalaisia, joilla on sitkeät siteet emämaahan, vaikkei heidän arvoaan Suomessa aina muisteta saati tunnusteta.
Read on »Finland’s turning point and its national identity debate
Any student of society can see that Finland is at an important juncture concerning its national identity. At this turning point we are looking in two directions: To our past and to the future.
Read on »Speaking up for Multicultural Finns
Those who play down the impact and poison of racism and indifference know nothing of the plight of multicultural Finns or the damage they cause on this group. Who are Multicultural Finns?
Read on »Leave my multicultural Finnish identity alone!
Many of the arguments used by the anti-immigration camp in this country is based on myths from nineteenth century Finnish history. When these groups declare war on multiculturalism what they are revealing is their denial of our cultural diversity.
Read on »The New York Review of Books: A New Approach to the Holocaust
It is fruitless to reduce the manifold evil of the Holocaust to a single cause. Ideology, charisma, conformism, hatred, greed, and war were all very important, but each was related to the others and all mattered within rapidly changing historical circumstances. In his profound study Holocaust, Peter Longerich puts forward an analysis that includes all these factors and shows how politics or, as he puts it, Politik, set them all in motion. In this amplified English edition of his Politik der Vernichtung (1998), Longerich preserves the German term Judenpolitik, and with good reason. In German Politik means both “politics” and “policy,” and the compound noun (Juden + Politik) gives a sense of a joining of concepts that English cannot quite convey.
Read on »Ten fallacies of the PS’ anti-immigration arguments
When I was a kid growing up in California we used to say phony baloney when a fellow classmate exaggerated or lied. If we look at the Perussuomalaiset (PS) party’s mindset and claims on immigration, I would certainly be one of the first to let out a vociferous cry: “Phony baloney!”
Read on »Who is responsible for the rise in hate crimes in Finland?
Apart from the usual social-media lynch mobs on the net, we have seen since the April 17 election a rise in hate crimes in Finland. The issue has escalated to such proportions that President Tarja Halonen has expressed concern over this problem.
Read on »MRN: 10 years after the race riots, Britain’s ‘patchwork heritage’ is not the problem
As the anniversary of the 2001 Oldham race riots comes around and fresh stats show that net immigration has leapt up once again, we need to rebut claims that our society is divided along ethnic lines.
Read on »HS: Maahanmuuttajakin voi rakastaa Suomea
Herjaaminen ei saanut minua vihaamaan maata, joka on antanut kaiken, mistä olen aina haaveillut: rauhaa, ruokaa, lääkkeitä ja asunnon.
Ruotsissa asuva pikkuveljeni soitti 16. toukokuuta kello 0.20. Ennen kuin hän onnitteli minua jääkiekon maailmanmestaruudesta, hän kysyi, mikä äänessäni on vikana ja onko minulla kenties flunssa. Vastasin, ettei minulla ole flunssaa vaan olin laulanut joka maalin jälkeen “ihanaa, Leijonat, ihanaa”. Se ei kuulostanut kivalta veljeni korviin, sillä hän on henkeen ja vereen Tre Kronor -joukkueen kannattaja.
Read on »Denying racism is rejecting Finland’s cultural diversity
When one looks at some topical issues being debated in Finland, like the role of cultural diversity, and tries to understand them, it is essential to dig deeper behind words in order to see the big picture. What do the most anti-immigration voices of the Perussuomalaiset (PS) say when they are against multiculturalism?
Read on »guardian.co.uk: This multiculturalism debate is not about culture
The idea that there is a distinct set of British values is a myth. All cultures are multi-cultures – this debate is being used as a proxy. The debate about multiculturalism is hotting up. It also clearly splits the coalition, as the contrasting speeches of David Cameron and Nick Clegg have shown.
Read on »Diversity and Finland: One and the same
There are many ways to face diversity. You can try to quash it with nationalism as is happening in many parts of Europe, or make it work for as many as possible for everyone’s benefit.
Read on »Finland election: A message that goes much deeper
After the election victory of the True Finns on Sunday, sensible Finns are asking Timo Soini’s party to bite the bullet and leave behind the rhetoric and racism that has tainted his party. But this may be easier said than done.
Read on »New World Finn: My Finnish identity is fine
A reader recently surprised me on my blog, Migrant Tales, affirming that Finnish Americans are not Finns. “They weren’t born, raised in Finland nor do they speak Finnish; some of them have never visited Finland,” he wrote. “I wonder how many could point to Finland on a map.”
Read on »An insult to over a million Finns
The “racial” theories peddled by some members of parties like the True Finns are not only an example of their ignorance of the subject but an insult to over a million Finns that live abroad. Many of us are that multicultural “nightmare” that some in this country want to avoid at all costs.
Read on »Migrant Tales memorable quotes of the week to March 7
Migrant Tales publishes on Monday some interesting quotes on the ongoing immigration debate in Finland and elsehwhere. If you have some quotes you would like to share with us, please forward them to [email protected] ET
Read on »Aamulehti: Ylänurkka: Maan tapa leviää Euroopassa
Suomen sosiaalidemokraattisen puolueen puheenjohtajalla Jutta Urpilaisella, Saksan kristillisdemokraattisella liittokanslerilla Angela Merkelillä ja Britannian konservatiivisella pääministerillä David Cameronilla on ainakin yksi yhteinen piirre.
Read on »Suomen Kuvalehti: Maahanmuuttajia on syytä kiittää
Maahanmuuttajia on syytä kiittää
Read on »Freedom of expression and religion
What does freedom of expression mean? For me it represents a Montesquieuian framework of society where all the parts watch over the other. These checks and balances are crucial to ensure that basic civil liberties enshrined in documents such as the UN Declaration of Human Rights are vigorously defended and encouraged.
Read on »Don’t let the “critics” hijack the immigration debate in Finland
If the one-sided immigration debate were left to a certain grup of people, we would end up in trouble. A good example is the term “critical of immigration,” maahanmuuttokriittinen, which is a funny word used to describe groups that are in fact hostile to immigration.
Read on »Finland’s Kokoomus now flirts with simplistic immigration integration models
Finland’s conservative Kokoomus youth leader, Willie Rydman, makes an incredible statement in a letter to the editor to Helsingin Sanomat: The state should not support nor fund multiculturalism because it would hinder the adaption of immigrants into our society.
Read on »Raseborg: To headscarf or not?
I was very surprised to read that the educational board of Raseborg, a town located in southwest Finland, had retracted apparently grudingly from a decision to ban headscares at school. The Raseborg school district is the only one in the country that had in force such restrictions.
Read on »The origins of modern Finnish xenophobia and racism
Modern Finnish racism has two sources: nationalism imbedded deep in our history coupled with low self-esteem.
Read on »The multicultural society of the future
It seems odd that in today’s technilogically advanced societies in Europe and elsewhere our views of other groups continues to pose major challenges. If I had to picture the sitaution in a cartoon, I would draw a picture of one of our first primates, Australopithecus africanus, which existed 2-3 million years before present sitting in front of a computer and speaking to the future with a Skype time machine.
Read on »EDITORIAL: Immigrants, Finns and change
So-called “immigrant-critical” groups may see their plans backfire badly if they believe that by debating openly immigration is all it takes to strengthen their negative stand against immigration and refugees. One of the biggest flaws these groups use is that that they believe that since cultures are so different, they can therefore never adapt to Finland.
Read on »(Another) disturbing Keskisuomalainen editorial
Jyväskylä-based Keskisuomalainen, which appears hellbent on enlightening us on how Finland should relate to other cultures, now dedicates an entire editorial based on two cases of circumcision practiced on children by their parents.While such operations should be only carried out by trained medical staff, it is surprising how forcibly Keskisuomalainen condemns such an act.
Read on »Peter Kivisto’s definition of multiculturalism
Here is a definition by Peter Kivisto of multiculturalism as a social policy:
Read on »What Finland’s immigration policy lacks
If we look at the dismal amount of immigrants and refugees as well as high unemployment one can reach only one conclusion: a policy that has failed miserably. Certainly progress has been made: the number of immigrants has risen albeit slowly to 143,256 today from 12,670 in 1981 while unemployment has come down officially from 53% in 1994 to over 20%.
Read on »Alberdi and the role of immigration to Finland
Juan Bautista Alberdi was one of the greatest social thinkers that Latin America produced in the nineteenth century. If we look at the Argentinean and South America right after these countries gained independence from Spain up to the 1820s, they faced a daunting task: How to build new nations from scratch.
Read on »Immigration debate in Finland and Europe: Turning the lights off
I remember a long time ago reading an editorial by the Buenos Aires Herald on how the military coup of 1976 was able to shut off information lights of Argentina. It argued that since outdated infrastructure such as telephones and telecommunications were in a wretched state, it was easy for the junta leaders to literally turn off the lights and keep the country in an information bubble.
Read on »An immigrant call to change and Finnish society
Some wrongfully accuse those of speaking up for cultural diversity in Finland of “whining” and being “ingrates.” Apart from exercising one’s democratic right of free speech, bigger steps will have to be taken by minorities in Finland to drive home their message of equality and fair treatment.
Read on »The Sello Mall killings in Finland reveal a lot about our views of outsiders
The tragic events that occurred at the Sello Mall in the suburb of Leppavaara right next door to Helsinki do not only shed light on a deranged man but continue to feed some of our highly polarized feelings on immigration and refugee policy.
Read on »Migrant Tales says thank you!
With year-end rapidly approaching and giving way to the new year, I would like to thank all those thousands of bloggers who have visited Migrant Tales recently and shared their thoughts with us. Thanks you!
Read on »Finland’s New Identity in the New Century
What will our new identity be like in the present century as our society becomes more ethnically and culturally diverse? Will immigrants be clumped into one group and called New Finns, or will they prefer a hyphenated identity such as Iraqi-Finn?
Read on »Joutsen puolue in Finland – old suspicions die hard
It is always a healthy matter when new parties emerge and take part in the debate on immigrants in Finland. One of these is the so-called Joutsen puolue being spearheaded by Jussi Halla-aho, who is presently standing trial for incitement of hatred against an ethnic group and defamation of a religion.
Read on »We are all cultural plagiarists
Those who are in university and write essays or are in the writing business know that there is one very big no-no: plagiarism, which means the close imitation of thelanguage and thoughts of another author as one´s own.
Read on »Finnish “mono-” versus “multicultural” debate
Cultures have always interacted because it makes sense. Multiculturalism has always existed and we base our present technologically advanced and diverse society on the willing to accept new, interesting and more effective tools to survive.
Read on »Finnish identity in the new century
Forging Finnish identity was important in the 20th century. Even so, it narrowed our perception of who is a Finn. The dual citizenship law of 2003 was one important matter that started to change matters.
Read on »The Equality Act and Finnish Independence Day
What better time than to bring up the Equality Act of 2004 during Finland’s Independence Day. One of the matters that makes me happy about being a member of this society is that after December 6, 1917, Finland did not become an autocratic country that had no respect for human rights. Despite all the challenges
Read on »Ghostbusting national identities
Linda has posed an interesting question: What is Finnish culture? Even though the answer to the question is more complex than one would think, it brings forth some very important points about our identity and who we believe we are. One of the biggest problems with “national identities” and “cultures” is that they are built
Read on »Is Finland prepared for multiculturalism?
In an interesting article published by Siirtolaisuus – Migration issue 2/1996, social psychologist Professor J. W. Berry asks what factors have to be in place to establish reasonable harmonious relationships between diverse groups. Ethnocentrism is a theory devised by Sumner in 1906 and means when “one’s group is the center of everything, and all others
Read on »The building of Finnish national identity within a multicultural society
One of the matters that some Finns who read the many comments in this blog should try to understand is that cultural diversity or multiculturalism should not be perceived as a threat but as an opportunity. For some Finns, who see foreigners as a threat to our culture, this fear can be best explained through
Read on »Myths surrounding immigration to Finland
Reading posts and getting information on immigration in general in dynamic multicultural societies, one can pick out the myths that some Finns still use to claim that immigration is a bad thing. Myths 1) Immigration takes away jobs from Finns. 2) Immigrants come to Finland to take advantage of the welfare system. 3) Immigrants have
Read on »Is the sauna a good integrator?
If a person asked me what is one of the most important cultural institutions enjoyed by a great number of Finns, I’d respond: the sauna. The sauna is more than a room where people bathe and sweat naked in 80-100 Celsius (176-212 Fahrenheit) temperatures. It’s a way of life for some Finns – so much
Read on »Finland’s multicultural challenge in the 21st century
Just like when Finland won its independence from the former Soviet Union in the last century, the country will face new challenges to its cultural identity. In the 20th century, after December 6, 1917, when Finland gained its cherished independence, there was a lot of work done to exert Finnish culture and wipe out the
Read on »The future human landscape of Finland
While we can debate how many foreigners will come to live in Finland in the next decade and if they’ll come to live in the country, what will Finland’s human landscape look like in the next and following decades as the country become more multicultural? By multicultural I am referring to Canada’s novel immigrant policy
Read on »Finland also locks up asylum seeker children
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- A child in the Joutseno Immigration Removal Center.
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