One of the challenges that cultural diversity will bring on Finland is challenge its myths and views of itself especially on the ethnic front.
Author: Migrant Tales
MTV3 poll shows Finns do not want more refugees in their municipality
A poll published by MTV3 on December 12 showed that the majority of Finns do not want their municipality to accept refugees. Even though 34% had no opinion on the matter, 46% said they were either against or very much against their municipality accepting refugees. Only 20% were either in favor or very much in favor of accepting refugees.
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?
How do some Finns discriminate?
In countries such as the United States and Brazil the term “race” is used to find out the ethnic diversity of their societies. While it is unclear why Brazil classifies in its census people from different ethnicities, in the United States it is done when drawing up electoral districts.
Mannerheim and Finnish provincialism
I heard yesterday an interesting talk on Marshall Carl Mannerheim (1867-1951) just a few days before the outbreak of the Winter War (1939-1940) exactly 70 years ago. The talk centered on different aspects of the Civil War of 1918 and how Mannerheim saw the world.
Whose fault is high immigrant unemployment in Finland?
Even though Finland has been generous about investing on language- and culture-training course for immigrants, one should rightfully ask if the money is being spent effectively. Why is there still high unemployment among immigrants in Finland if we are spending hefty summs of tax-payers money on these types of courses?
Immigration does and must work for Finland
Some of the bloggers who visit this site believe that multiculturalism in a demographic sense is a failed project. Just because immigration has been a part of humanity since the dawn of time, some insist that a country with lots of immigrants are failed states, pointing to countries such as the former Yugoslavia, Rwanda and others.
US Louisiana justice of the peace refuses to wed white woman with a black man
The refusal of a Louisiana justice of the peace to marry a white woman and a black man has caused dismay and calls by government as well as civil rights groups the removal of justice of the peace Keith Bardwell.
Immigrants in Finland must have a voice
One may ask why unemployment among foreigners was three-fold higher than the national average of 7.6% in the month of August. Certainly those that take a stricter view on the role of immigrants in Finland may claim that it is due to lack of language, culture and job skills.
Is multiculturalism good for Finland?
One of the surprising matters about the debate on multiculturalism is how little we understand the basic terms. Take for instance the term multicultural. Does it only mean a society comprised physically of many (multi) cultures? Or is it a policy that facilitates the participation of immigrants and ethnic minorities in a society?