"If Finland wasn't multicultural, we would eat only potatoes" : A comparative analysis on attitudes towards multiculturalism between students of an international school and a non-international Finnish school
Kanniainen, Ulriikka (2018-11-05)
"If Finland wasn't multicultural, we would eat only potatoes" : A comparative analysis on attitudes towards multiculturalism between students of an international school and a non-international Finnish school
(05.11.2018)
Julkaisu on tekijänoikeussäännösten alainen. Teosta voi lukea ja tulostaa henkilökohtaista käyttöä varten. Käyttö kaupallisiin tarkoituksiin on kielletty.
avoin
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on:
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2018112148768
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2018112148768
Tiivistelmä
In this MA thesis, attitudes of 7th graders towards multiculturalism and immigration as well as cultural homogeneity were studied. The purpose of the study was to compare the found attitudes of students of a non-international Finnish school with those of students of an international school, and to discover differences in terms of political correctness (PC). Moreover, the discussion was taken to a societal level, and the implications of political correctness were reflected on. In its composition, this study combined Appraisal theory and critical discourse analysis to form a comprehensive overview on the issue.
The data were collected in the form of essays. The instructions were to freely write about multicultural Turku and to use descriptive language. The data is compiled of the essays of 22 Finnish school students and 13 students of the International school.
The results showed differences in attitudes. The Finnish school students seemed to have more negative and neutral attitudes towards immigration than the international school students. The international school students on the other hand had more strongly expressed positivity towards Finns, whereas the Finnish school students were more eager to criticize Finns. The Finnish school students also had more cases of avoidance when it comes to directly addressing issues of immigration and multiculturalism than the international students.
Based on these results it seems that the Finnish school students have more PC attitudes towards multiculturalism than the international students, who have spent more time in an international environment and therefore possibly have more insight into these issues. Hence the purpose and implications of political correctness is controversial. Whether PC attitudes are destructive when building a society with genuine openness towards immigrants and minimum racism, needs to be further researched. Discussion on the topic on various levels should also be encouraged.
The data were collected in the form of essays. The instructions were to freely write about multicultural Turku and to use descriptive language. The data is compiled of the essays of 22 Finnish school students and 13 students of the International school.
The results showed differences in attitudes. The Finnish school students seemed to have more negative and neutral attitudes towards immigration than the international school students. The international school students on the other hand had more strongly expressed positivity towards Finns, whereas the Finnish school students were more eager to criticize Finns. The Finnish school students also had more cases of avoidance when it comes to directly addressing issues of immigration and multiculturalism than the international students.
Based on these results it seems that the Finnish school students have more PC attitudes towards multiculturalism than the international students, who have spent more time in an international environment and therefore possibly have more insight into these issues. Hence the purpose and implications of political correctness is controversial. Whether PC attitudes are destructive when building a society with genuine openness towards immigrants and minimum racism, needs to be further researched. Discussion on the topic on various levels should also be encouraged.