Refugee Crisis in the European Union
This chapter outlines the myriad push and pull factors that led to the refugee crisis, describes the scale of the migration, and discusses how the European Union (EU) nations and the EU as a whole responded to the crisis. Four push factors are described: the change in migration policy in Macedonia that opened up the Balkan route to the EU, the war in Syria, political and economic instability in sub-Saharan Africa, and climate change. The primary pull factors are economic opportunities and political and religious freedoms. The discussion of the scale of the migration and how each nation responded provides in-depth discussion of how individual EU nations responded to the refugee crisis.
Perception of Finns Towards Refugees and Immigrants
This chapter explores the perception Finns have towards refugees. In particular, building off intergroup threat theory (ITT), this chapter describes the extent to which Finns perceive refugees as a threat to Finnish society. Researchers have proposed Finns might perceive immigrants (and refugees) as threats because they share less cultural and physical similarities with the “Typical” Finns. As fear of this threat increases, so can the chance of intergroup conflict between these two groups. Through an analysis of in-depth interviews, this chapter brings to light these perceived threats to understand the refugee situation in Finland, as perceived by Finns.
Exploring the Relationship Between Teacher Confirmation and Student Motivation: The United States and Finland
Teacher communication behaviors have enormous impacts on students’ learning processes and thus have attracted extensive scholarly attention (Mazer, 2013). Teacher confirmation is the process through which teachers communicate to students that they are endorsed, recognized, and acknowledged as valuable individuals (Ellis, 2000). In primarily US-based research, teacher confirmation has been linked to a variety of effective pedagogical practices, student motivation, and emotional outcomes (Ellis, 2004). As McCroskey and McCroskey (2006) stated, it is not likely that instructional practices in other instructional cultures are always as effective as they are in the United States. To understand t…
A qualitative study of male and female perceptions in differences in the working and domestic sphere : a comparison of the French and Finnish cultures
This thesis presents a comparison between two culturally different countries in terms of gender differences causing inequality in the working and domestic life. France, one of the pioneer countries in terms of fighting for women’s rights, but at the same time strongly paternalistic and chauvinist as a result of its Latin culture, is compared to Finland, considered as an example for gender equality. The research was conducted among private French and Finnish companies, where interviews were conducted of male and female employees holding different positions in the hierarchy. The thesis presents two articles. 1) The first one focuses on the reproduction of a social structure by the organizatio…
Migration to Finland and the Nordic Nations
This chapter provides a brief review of historical migration to Finland, discusses the legal aspects of migrating to Finland and the rights of immigrants and refugees, current trends in migration to and from Finland, and analyses how other Nordic nations (Denmark, Norway, and Sweden specifically) have responded to the refugee crisis. Through this discussion, similarities and differences in how Nordic nations have historically and currently respond to migration are explained.
Host culture acceptance, religiosity, and the threat of Muslim immigration: An integrated threat analysis in Spain
Abstract. This study explores the in tricate relationship s between a dominant group’s fear of an immigrant group, religiosity, and the dominant culture’s perception of if an immigrant group is moti vated to culturally adapt. Specifically, Muslim immigration to Spain was analyzed . The study found the follow ing: 1) threat from an immigrant group was negatively correlated with percepti on of immigrant motivation to adapt, 2) highly religious members of the dominant culture were less likely to believe Muslim immigrants are motivated to culturally adapt, and 3) increased co ntact with Muslim immigrants led to higher levels of realistic threat and symbolic threat among Spanis h Catholics. Impl…
A Test of the Relationship Between Argumentativeness and Individualism/Collectivism in the United States and Finland
This study explored relationships between argumentativeness and collectivism/individualism in Finland and the United States. Data were gathered in the United States (n = 412) and Finland (n = 261). The analysis suggested: (a) collectivism was negatively correlated with argumentativeness, (b) individualism was positively correlated with argumentativeness, and (c) Finnish participants reported lower levels of argumentativeness than Americans. Cultural differences between the United States and Finland are discussed as reasons for the differences between the nations on argumentativeness.
Perceptions of Immigrants Towards Refugees and Finns
For a full picture and for more developed insights into the intergroup relations between Finns, immigrants, refugees, and other migrants, it was important for us to look beyond the experiences of refugees and ethnic Finns and to examine the position of other immigrants living or residing in Finland. Thus, this chapter explores the perception immigrants have towards Finns and refugees. Building off intergroup threat theory (ITT), this chapter describes the extent to which immigrants perceive immigrants and refugees as a threat to Finnish society. Through an analysis of in-depth interviews, this chapter brings to light these perceived threats to understand the immigration and prejudice situat…
A test of the relationship between argumentativeness, individualism/collectivism, and conflict style preference in the United States and Finland
This study explored relationships between argumentativeness and collectivism/individualism in Finland and the United States. Data were gathered in the United States (n = 412) and Finland (n = 261). The analysis suggested: (a) collectivism was negatively correlated with argumentativeness, (b) individualism was positively correlated with argumentativeness, and (c) Finnish participants reported lower levels of argumentativeness than Americans. Cultural differences between the United States and Finland are discussed as reasons for the differences between the nations on argumentativeness. peerReviewed
Perceptions of Refugees Towards Finns and Immigrants
Building off of the previous two chapters, this chapter looks at the refugee experience from the point of view of the refugee. While the overwhelming majority of integrated threat studies have been conducted from the point of view of the dominant culture, and a few from the point of view of an immigrant or minority’s perspective, none have explored threat from the point of view of a refugee. Therefore, for a more holistic picture of the Finnish migration situation, and the situation of refugees in Finland, we explored how refugees see threat, migration, their situation, Finns, and other immigrants in Finland. Thus, through the use of in-depth interviews, this chapter explores the perception…