Category: Enrique Tessieri

Tuomas Kurttila, the ombudsman for children, tells us something we’ve known for a long time but have done little to nothing to resolve: Finland has failed at integrating third culture children. One does not have to be a expert on inclusion to understand that what Kurttila states is true.

But let’s take what he says a bit further. What does he mean by “failure?” Is he speaking of how we’ve failed as a society to tackle ethnic discrimination and racism?

There’s a lot of evidence that sheds light on what the ombudsman for children claims. For one, schools and society too often see children and youths that have one or two migrant parents as outsiders. One of the pet terms used for these children and youths is “person with foreign” or “migrant background.” The term in Finnish is ulkomaalaistaustainen and maahanmuuttotaustainen, respectively.

Why is it so important for a school or a society to label people with a name that’s not even a country but a circumstance that is defined by others that have power over you? Do these terms promote inclusion and social equality?

I don’t believe so. They do just the opposite because they remind the person that he or she is an outsider. What does it mean to be labeled as an outsider in today’s Finland, which is suspicious of migrants and minorities?

That’s why I wonder why people like Nasima Razmyar, Ali Jahangiri, Alizad Arman and others, who have lived most of their lives in Finland, are not only seen by some as “people with migrant background” but agree with the label.

As our culturally diverse society grows we should challenge those very terms that hinder and block our paths to inclusion and to be treated with respect by society. Having a foreign-sounding name, or having a different ethnic background, shouldn’t hinder your bright future in this country.

How one accepts and defines their Finnish identity is up to the person since identity is a personal matter. The important matter is that you define who you are, not others.

In Finland people are classified in the following manner: by country of birth, mother tongue and nationality. One can become a naturalized citizen but the person’s country of birth and mother tongue will always be present to otherize him or her, in some cases negatively.  This ethnic classification scheme was devised and enforced by white Finns.  In other words nobody cared to ask who you are.

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