Päivi Harinen & Veronika Honkasalo with an inspiring Päivi Harinen & Veronika Honkasalo with an inspiring support of Antti Kivijärvi and Jatta Herranen support of Antti Kivijärvi and Jatta Herranen

CIVIC CULTURE as an Emerging Question in CIVIC CULTURE as an Emerging Question in Multiethnic SocietiesMultiethnic Societies

The themeThe theme: How the Finnish civil society : How the Finnish civil society and its free time structures, institutions and its free time structures, institutions (municipal, third sector), communities, (municipal, third sector), communities, patterns submit to the multicultural patterns submit to the multicultural reality and sociality?reality and sociality?

Free time spaces as important agendas Free time spaces as important agendas for civic education (especially for the for civic education (especially for the young ones – ”peer socialisation” young ones – ”peer socialisation” the the significance of multicultural youth work)significance of multicultural youth work)

In fields of civil society (”slack” leisure In fields of civil society (”slack” leisure communities, organisations…) the issue of communities, organisations…) the issue of multicultural equality discussed just multicultural equality discussed just occasionally (cf. education, working life)occasionally (cf. education, working life)

Participation, equal possibilities to get and Participation, equal possibilities to get and become heard in shared activities (also in civil become heard in shared activities (also in civil society) = abstract political conceptssociety) = abstract political concepts

……Until ”culture” enroaches upon, begins to disturbUntil ”culture” enroaches upon, begins to disturb – civil society = a cultural space of belonging and – civil society = a cultural space of belonging and identification (Stuart Hall)identification (Stuart Hall)

a need to take a need to take Civic CultureCivic Culture along within along within analyses of civil society (political theory is not analyses of civil society (political theory is not enough, ethnicity ”matters”)enough, ethnicity ”matters”)

Also ”a tension of theories” of civil society should Also ”a tension of theories” of civil society should be paid attention to * new (nation)state be paid attention to * new (nation)state management (Foucault) or challence of (also management (Foucault) or challence of (also cultural) hegemonies (Gramsci)? cultural) hegemonies (Gramsci)?

The ideal?The ideal? Michael Waizer's definition of civil society Michael Waizer's definition of civil society

(1992): (1992):

It is neither home nor work, but a third kind of It is neither home nor work, but a third kind of place where theorists say that citizens place where theorists say that citizens cultivate cultivate relationships with a wide range of others, relationships with a wide range of others, expand their horizonsexpand their horizons, and nurture a kind of , and nurture a kind of selfhood that is compatible with an open society. selfhood that is compatible with an open society. Civil society does not, in theory, operate solely Civil society does not, in theory, operate solely according to the competitive individualistic according to the competitive individualistic logics of the market, or the particularistic, logics of the market, or the particularistic, private logic of the family or private logic of the family or ethnic, national, ethnic, national, or religious groupor religious group. Nor does it operate solely . Nor does it operate solely according to the bureaucratic logic of the according to the bureaucratic logic of the government or corporation." government or corporation."

Some analyse-based notionsSome analyse-based notions

According to our analysis (The nation-wide project According to our analysis (The nation-wide project Multicultural Youth, Leisure and Participation in Multicultural Youth, Leisure and Participation in Civic Action):Civic Action):

””Cultural fox-holes” and mutual suspicion maintain Cultural fox-holes” and mutual suspicion maintain distance and prevent participation of the ”late distance and prevent participation of the ”late comers”comers”

Totally ”out”: ”fresh” young immigrants, those who Totally ”out”: ”fresh” young immigrants, those who lack language skills, the most ”different” oneslack language skills, the most ”different” ones

Multicultural civic or leisure activities often project-Multicultural civic or leisure activities often project-like (momentary, short-term) like (momentary, short-term) ”vulnerable” ”vulnerable” (”insist” special time, special resources, special (”insist” special time, special resources, special skills – which ”we” never have enough)skills – which ”we” never have enough)

Participation possibilities are selected/distinctive - Participation possibilities are selected/distinctive - tensions between different sides (organizers, native tensions between different sides (organizers, native participants, multicultural participants) – conflicting participants, multicultural participants) – conflicting perceptions about ”the state of art” and about the perceptions about ”the state of art” and about the obstacles to multicultural cooperation (e.g. in the obstacles to multicultural cooperation (e.g. in the third sector)third sector)

It seems that…It seems that…

The civic culture in Finland = based on the hegemony The civic culture in Finland = based on the hegemony of Finnishness (as a fibre of the nationalistic history of of Finnishness (as a fibre of the nationalistic history of the Finnish civil society – ”nation-state formation”)the Finnish civil society – ”nation-state formation”)

Migrant or multicultural ”programmes allowed”, even Migrant or multicultural ”programmes allowed”, even supported (in terms of integration and ”societal supported (in terms of integration and ”societal peace”), but still: cultural differences are claimed to peace”), but still: cultural differences are claimed to ”create challenges” etc.”create challenges” etc.

Equality = difficult to understand in terms of ”positive Equality = difficult to understand in terms of ”positive discrimination” towards those in social margins (discrimination” towards those in social margins ( arithmetic or geometric equality?)arithmetic or geometric equality?)

Difficulties in defining what multicultural cooperation Difficulties in defining what multicultural cooperation in civic arenas actually would be – what makes an in civic arenas actually would be – what makes an association, leisure community, organised action etc. association, leisure community, organised action etc. multicultural?multicultural?

Multicultural action: becomes often narrowed to ”immigrant work” (” a sector”) – immigrants as objects of treatment – to integrate them into ”us”, ”the same kinds of actors” – migration = a problem (we are not, our close communities are not) that has to be managed and controlled (in frames of ”cultural knowledge” and mutual teaching)

Multiculturalism maintains prevailing communities

Action is toned by a stress for unity and normative consensus – no critical reflection towards ”us” as a homogenic gategory that insists ”assimiliation”

To be ”open” into several directions raises: resistance, changes, breaking up the unity, challenging the balance

Immigrants own associations are sometimes defined as a hint of incomplete integration

SOME QUOTATIONS FROM KIVIJÄRVI’S DATA SOME QUOTATIONS FROM KIVIJÄRVI’S DATA (Projects of multicultural youth work)(Projects of multicultural youth work)

””When the project ended, the whole work When the project ended, the whole work just stopped, as a chicken’s flight.”just stopped, as a chicken’s flight.”

””We train young immigrants to become We train young immigrants to become same kinds of actors as we are.”same kinds of actors as we are.”

””Immigrant work means a comprehensive Immigrant work means a comprehensive adaptation aims, to this society.”adaptation aims, to this society.”

””Multicultural youth work can begin when Multicultural youth work can begin when there are enough immigrants. Otherwise there are enough immigrants. Otherwise it’s too expensive. It’s a question of it’s too expensive. It’s a question of economy.”economy.”

Observation diary:Observation diary:

””A youth worker is telling about a successful A youth worker is telling about a successful multicultural event: Finnish independence day multicultural event: Finnish independence day celebration in youth club, where the national celebration in youth club, where the national song Maamme was sung, and all, also young song Maamme was sung, and all, also young immigrants from Afghanistan, wore shirts immigrants from Afghanistan, wore shirts decorated with Finnish flags. According to the decorated with Finnish flags. According to the teller, there was a fine, multicultural feeling teller, there was a fine, multicultural feeling among the participants. When she was asked, among the participants. When she was asked, could the same happen at Afghanistan’s could the same happen at Afghanistan’s independence day, she was surprised and could independence day, she was surprised and could not answer.”not answer.”

Thus – what can we assume about the Civic Culture in Finland?