Suomalaisia, eurooppalaisia, maailmankansalaisia? : Identiteetin rakentuminen nykypäivän ulkosuomalaisten parissa ylirajaisessa maailmassa

This thesis investigates the transnational identities among current-day expatriate Finns around the world. It asks, what is the nature of transnational identity among these individuals who have emigrated from Finland? What is the level of their connectedness to their own Finnishness, on one hand, and to supranational identities such as Europeanness and internationality, on the other? The motivation to investigate the topic rises from the notion that the issues related to Finnish people in various expatriate communities, as well as their potential return migration, appears to have growing interest in Finland. The aim is also to contribute to the existing research literature by adding more contemporary theoretical approaches of migration studies to the investigations of expatriate Finns. The data (n=3195) was collected through a survey carried out in research project titled "The Changing Nature of Being an Expatriate Finn: Survey on Emigration and Expatriate Finns" (The Migration Institute of Finland, 2020-2021). Cluster analysis as an example of the so-called person-centered analyses was chosen as a method. The benefits of cluster analysis go hand in hand with the awareness that the focus group, expatriate Finns, is not a homogenous group but that the motivations of these people to move abroad as well as their lifestyles and circumstances vary greatly. Cluster analyses revealed three clearly different groups of people with respect to their Finnishness, Europeanness and internationality. In the first cluster, the three different identity markers were not seen as exclusionary, and a strong attachment to both the country of origin and the host country was not viewed to be incompatible. These individuals possessed the freedom to maintain and reject different sides of their identities depending on the context. The perspective of privilege was also considered, as their mobility was possible due to their relatively high quality of life and the social and human capital obtained over the years. Individuals in the second cluster gave high regard to Finnish identity which had often activated outside of Finland. Negative feelings, such as home sickness and disappointment in the life abroad, were also reported. These individuals also defined Finnishness in rather stereotypical ways and reduced the concept to a few well-known traits. This way, it was easy for them to emphasize their own belongingness to this homogenous category of Finns. Lastly, the individuals in the third cluster rejected the affiliation to the national identity of Finnishness altogether, their perceptions about Finland and other Finns varying from casual indifference to an apparent hostility. Instead, Europeanness and internationality were embraced as identities more inclusive and less particular

Muuttuva ulkosuomalaisuus : Kyselytutkimus maastamuutosta ja ulkosuomalaisuudesta

Keitä ovat nykypäivän ulkosuomalaiset? Millaista on heidän arkensa, ja miten koronapandemia ja Brexit ovat vaikuttaneet siihen? Millaista tukea ulkosuomalaiset tarvitsisivat? Muuttuva ulkosuomalaisuus -kyselyssä kartoitettiin vastaajien elämäntilannetta, ylirajaista arkea, identiteettiä, poliittista osallistumista, uskonnollisuutta ja palvelutarpeita. Kyselyyn vastasi 3195 ulkosuomalaista 85 eri maasta. Kysely antaa monipuolisen kuvan sekä nykypäivän Suomesta lähtijöistä, että jo pidempään ulkomailla asuneista. Tässä kuvassa korostuu elämäntilanteiden, ammattien, muuttokohteiden ja –syiden laaja kirjo. Samalla kun monet ovat vahvasti kiinnittyneitä nykyisiin asuinmaihinsa, myös suomalaisuus hahmottuu tärkeänä osana identiteettiä ja ylirajaista arkea