Tanja Karppinen

The South Karelian Institute/LUT with the North-Karelian Summer University are organizing

Two open lectures in English on 16 February 2010. Welcome!

Antti Kivijärvi (Doctoral Student, Researcher)

RACISM AS A GENERATIONAL QUESTION

Racism in everyday encounters of young people

The lecture focuses on an analysis of current racism in Finland and some of its historical connections from the perspective of youth research. Multiculturalism and racism in Finland are, among others, generational questions; partly because of increasing immigration, the “imagined” homogeneity of the Finnish population cannot be taken for granted by younger generational cohorts. Furthermore, a significant number of people with immigrant backgrounds in Finland are under 30 years of age. This means that multicultural encounters and experiences of racism are faced mostly by young people (in schools, leisure, etc.), while many adults have a possibility to retreat to spaces of “their own”. From this standpoint, it is essential to contrast the discourses of racism constructed by young people with multicultural backgrounds and adult members of the Finnish majority.

The lecture is based on a recent (yet unpublished) study about definitions of racism by adult youth workers and “multicultural” young people. In addition, international and national sociological debates over racism will be utilized.

Time: 12.15-13.45

Place: lecture room 4301+02/Lappeenranta University of Technology

Päivi Harinen (D.Phil., Adjunct Professor)

I’M NOT A RACIST, BUT…

“A stricture against immigration” as a non-traditional discourse of traditional nationalism

The lecture focuses on an analysis of the current Finnish discourse called stricture against migration (or migration policy, more exactly). This critical discourse and the movement around it have, on their part, offered new channels for racism and intolerance, even though the “critical ones” make a clear distinction to open racism (“we are not against individual/special immigrants”). This discourse, however, contains numerous references to cultural hierarchies where Finns are seen as civilized (home)land owners and the native culture as something to be carefully protected against “dark forces”. Many features of the patriotic and exclusive Finnishness can be recognized in this critical movement, which now is seeking for space also in the agendas of national high level decision making.

The lecture is based on analyses made by Finnish scholars of multiculturalism, as well as on personal experiences as a teacher in a multicultural university, and as an inhabitant of a small Finnish municipality where immigrants are met only occasionally.  

Time: 14.15-15.30

Place: lecture room 4301+02/Lappeenranta University of Technology

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