Definition of Self in the World of Mobility Multicultural Identity of Finnish Youth

This study contributes to the further understanding of the self-conceptualization of young Finnish people with multicultural backgrounds by analyzing their life stories. While all the participants in this study positioned themselves as a multicultural individual, their life stories demonstrated diff...

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Main Author: Masui, Mikoto
Other Authors: Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Humanistis-yhteiskuntatieteellinen tiedekunta, Department of Language and Communication Studies, Kieli- ja viestintätieteiden laitos, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylän yliopisto
Format: Master's thesis
Language:eng
Published: 2024
Subjects:
Online Access: https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/95828
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author Masui, Mikoto
author2 Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Humanistis-yhteiskuntatieteellinen tiedekunta Department of Language and Communication Studies Kieli- ja viestintätieteiden laitos University of Jyväskylä Jyväskylän yliopisto
author_facet Masui, Mikoto Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Humanistis-yhteiskuntatieteellinen tiedekunta Department of Language and Communication Studies Kieli- ja viestintätieteiden laitos University of Jyväskylä Jyväskylän yliopisto Masui, Mikoto Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Humanistis-yhteiskuntatieteellinen tiedekunta Department of Language and Communication Studies Kieli- ja viestintätieteiden laitos University of Jyväskylä Jyväskylän yliopisto
author_sort Masui, Mikoto
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description This study contributes to the further understanding of the self-conceptualization of young Finnish people with multicultural backgrounds by analyzing their life stories. While all the participants in this study positioned themselves as a multicultural individual, their life stories demonstrated different ways to ‘become’ multicultural while living mobile lives and interacting with diverse people. This finding supports the social constructionist view of identity; identity is constructed through interactions with the people they engage with in their lives. My analysis proposes two key contributing factors to the participants’ self-conceptualization as a multicultural individual: 1) a link between their identities and linguistic self-confidence and 2) a sense of belonging to mobile people. First, it became apparent that for the participants in this study, who are multilingual, their level of confidence in different languages affects their motivation to participate in the community, which could be a barrier to maintaining some aspects of their cultural identity; speaking multiple languages was an important part of their multiculturality, which makes them desire to connect with new people through their use of language. Second, the participants tended to position themselves in multicultural settings, using the term “international community”, where they find people with whom they can share similar experiences in moving between languages and spaces. This finding indicates that young Finnish people who grew up in multicultural backgrounds feel a greater sense of belonging to a peer group with whom they could share similar mobility experiences, rather than to a community related to nationality or a common mother tongue. The self-positioning of people who have lived mobile lives is based on invisible factors such as their past experiences, which is an important theme that will require further investigation in the future. The participants’ life stories also demonstrated potential challenges faced by young Finns with multicultural roots. Such challenges indicated dominant discourses in Finnish society, including Othering and racialized “Finnishness”, as well as inadequate openness to inclusivity and a need for developing a global mindset. Among the participants in this study, those who did not conform to the traditional physical image of Finns shared their experiences of racism and othering in the interviews. This implies a traditional and limited definition of“Finnishness”, which results in the marginalization of multicultural youth in Finnish society who do not fit into such definitions. Shedding light on the voices of such multicultural individuals and exploring the realities they face will continue to be necessary to achieve a society in which multicultural individuals in similar circumstances can feel included.
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While all the participants in this study positioned themselves as a multicultural individual, their life stories demonstrated different ways to \u2018become\u2019 multicultural while living mobile lives and interacting with diverse people. This finding supports the social constructionist view of identity; identity is constructed through interactions with the people they engage with in their lives. My analysis proposes two key contributing factors to the participants\u2019 self-conceptualization as a multicultural individual: 1) a link between their identities and linguistic self-confidence and 2) a sense of belonging to mobile people. 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spellingShingle Masui, Mikoto Definition of Self in the World of Mobility : Multicultural Identity of Finnish Youth multicultural identity life story Master's Degree Programme in Intercultural Communication Intercultural Communication (maisteriohjelma) 3134 monikulttuurisuus identiteetti kulttuuri-identiteetti nuoret suomalaiset multiculturalism identity (mental objects) cultural identity young people Finns
title Definition of Self in the World of Mobility : Multicultural Identity of Finnish Youth
title_full Definition of Self in the World of Mobility : Multicultural Identity of Finnish Youth
title_fullStr Definition of Self in the World of Mobility : Multicultural Identity of Finnish Youth Definition of Self in the World of Mobility : Multicultural Identity of Finnish Youth
title_full_unstemmed Definition of Self in the World of Mobility : Multicultural Identity of Finnish Youth Definition of Self in the World of Mobility : Multicultural Identity of Finnish Youth
title_short Definition of Self in the World of Mobility
title_sort definition of self in the world of mobility multicultural identity of finnish youth
title_sub Multicultural Identity of Finnish Youth
title_txtP Definition of Self in the World of Mobility : Multicultural Identity of Finnish Youth
topic multicultural identity life story Master's Degree Programme in Intercultural Communication Intercultural Communication (maisteriohjelma) 3134 monikulttuurisuus identiteetti kulttuuri-identiteetti nuoret suomalaiset multiculturalism identity (mental objects) cultural identity young people Finns
topic_facet 3134 Finns Intercultural Communication (maisteriohjelma) Master's Degree Programme in Intercultural Communication cultural identity identiteetti identity (mental objects) kulttuuri-identiteetti life story monikulttuurisuus multicultural identity multiculturalism nuoret suomalaiset young people
url https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/95828 http://www.urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:jyu-202406134595
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