A new survey shows that first-generation immigrants are more likely to experience bullying, physical threats and sexual harassment than white Finns, according to YLE in English, which cites the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL). The survey revealed some 32% of “immigrant” children found it difficult to access school welfare officers. Should the findings…
Tag: Prejudice
Effectively challenging intolerance and promoting respect in Finland and elsewhere
An effective weapon that racists use is to convince you that you don’t count. One of the overriding matters that I’ve learned time and again is that silence is the worst decision you can make when challenging intolerance. There are many effective ways to challenge racism like a simple question: I disagree with you. Can…
How the Finnish media continues to be part of the problem by reinforcing stereotypes and racist perceptions of migrants and minorities
A news story about migrant crime was published by the Lahti-based Etelä-Suomen Sanomat with a provocative drawing of a black man’s arms handcuffed. Migrant Tales got in touch with the reporter that wrote the story and asked why it was considered news at the end of July if it was based on a study published by The…
Challenging prejudices against migrants in Finland should be a priority. But who’s doing this?
Dr. Gareth Rice’s claim that foreign academics are being bypassed for permanent tenures in favor of Finnish academics raises a wider issue that migrants and minorities face in Finland. Finding a job is one matter for an immigrant in this country but being hired on a permanent basis is quite another story. One may ask…
Challenging urban tales about migrants and ourselves should be our first and foremost priority
After contributing regularly for Migrant Tales and reading and answering some of the over 30,000 comments we have received in the past seven years, a bigger picture emerges. This has been reinforced by my work at a folk high school, where the majority of the students on campus aren’t white Finns. As Don Flynn of…
Jussi Halla-aho: “Do not tolerate the intolerant one”
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 last one, Do not tolerate the intolerant one, was published in Scripta on December 20, 2007. Apart…
What Finnish school children from a small town think about racism?
During the European Action Week Against Racism (March 15-23), I had the opportunity to visit an elementary and middle school in rural Eastern Finland. The event, which was organized by the Red Cross, asked elementary and middle school students to do a posters pointing out the good and bad things about Finland. Some did short…
The Ukraine-Russia crisis can spark ethnic hatred across Europe
The crisis and standoff between the Ukraine and Russia is worrying for many reasons. One of these, which isn’t being covered enough by the European media, is how the crisis is fueling xenophobia and age-old diehard ethnic hatred. There has been, however, a lot of coverage of the ethnic crisis between the Ukrainians and Russians….
Does Finland promote two-way or one-way adaption of immigrants?
Our integration law promotes two-way adaption as opposed to assimilation, which is a one-way process. Section 17 of the Finnish Constitution states that each person living in this country has the right to maintain and develop their own language and culture. What do these two important laws mean in practice and how are they applied? Sensible Finns…
Dana: You are not welcome in Finland – go back to where you came from!
By Dana Yes, who invited you here? If you don’t like it here, why don’t you go back to where you came from? This statement is aimed to tire and weaken you. It’s a dark trick with a dark ending for you. And who knows about those dark goals better than I? Back home you…