http://www.chivacongelado.com/2007/11/finnishness-an-ethnic-concept/ Musings from a child of globalisation. Thu, 24 Nov 2011 18:05:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.chivacongelado.com/2007/11/finnishness-an-ethnic-concept/comment-page-1/#comment-8095 Open letter to the Finnish political elite | Try not. Do or do not. There is no try. Mon, 26 Apr 2010 21:23:38 +0000 http://www.chivacongelado.com/?p=596#comment-8095 [...] “Maassa maan tavalla”: This phrase, part “In Rome do as the Romans”, part “Love it or leave it” was uttered to great effect by the leader of the Finnish Social Democrats.  She went further on to talk about the need for foreigers to obey the law and learn the language.  My first problem with this statement is not its content, but its patronising tone.  When you move abroad you know you will face new situations and have to adapt to your environment, which does include learning at least some of the local language.  Following the law is also part of this process (who wants to move thousands of kilometres at a considerable cost only to end up in jail?).  Furthermore, my second concern is related to the fact that Finnish laws and Finnish customs are not the same thing. Are we a tolerant enough society to accept people who look, dress and sound different as long as they contribute to society and pay their taxes, or is there an ideal of Finnishness they need to adhere to?  Have we agreed on what that ideal is? [...] [...] “Maassa maan tavalla”: This phrase, part “In Rome do as the Romans”, part “Love it or leave it” was uttered to great effect by the leader of the Finnish Social Democrats.  She went further on to talk about the need for foreigers to obey the law and learn the language.  My first problem with this statement is not its content, but its patronising tone.  When you move abroad you know you will face new situations and have to adapt to your environment, which does include learning at least some of the local language.  Following the law is also part of this process (who wants to move thousands of kilometres at a considerable cost only to end up in jail?).  Furthermore, my second concern is related to the fact that Finnish laws and Finnish customs are not the same thing. Are we a tolerant enough society to accept people who look, dress and sound different as long as they contribute to society and pay their taxes, or is there an ideal of Finnishness they need to adhere to?  Have we agreed on what that ideal is? [...]

]]> http://www.chivacongelado.com/2007/11/finnishness-an-ethnic-concept/comment-page-1/#comment-4878 Finnish citizenship test | Try not. Do or do not. There is no try. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:17:58 +0000 http://www.chivacongelado.com/?p=596#comment-4878 [...] I got 85%, while natural-born Finns I know got 30 points less. Doesn’t seem to make me or any other foreigner any more or less of a Finn in the eyes of society to know for example how people in Rauma speak, as the more I explore suomalaisuus it looks that it is an ethnic rather than cultural concept. [...] [...] I got 85%, while natural-born Finns I know got 30 points less. Doesn’t seem to make me or any other foreigner any more or less of a Finn in the eyes of society to know for example how people in Rauma speak, as the more I explore suomalaisuus it looks that it is an ethnic rather than cultural concept. [...]

]]>