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Towards inclusion or exclusion? A critical analysis of the Finnish Roma in Finland's National Roma Policy

Strand, Nina Emilia LU (2023) SIMZ11 20231
Graduate School
Abstract
Europe's largest and most excluded minority, the Roma, have been the subject of several policies that have aimed at increasing their integration and equality. In Finland, a country setting itself as among the leaders in Roma rights, this policy is Finland's National Roma Policy (ROMPO). ROMPO2, from 2018 to 2022, was critically evaluated in this thesis to examine how the Finnish Roma are represented and what these representations entailed and revealed about how the Roma are seen in the Finnish context. This evaluation occurred through Carol Bacchi's What's the Problem Represented to Be (WPR) approach and by assessing whether Roma are othered. For perspectives beyond the policy, interviews were conducted with Finnish Roma NGOs. The findings... (More)
Europe's largest and most excluded minority, the Roma, have been the subject of several policies that have aimed at increasing their integration and equality. In Finland, a country setting itself as among the leaders in Roma rights, this policy is Finland's National Roma Policy (ROMPO). ROMPO2, from 2018 to 2022, was critically evaluated in this thesis to examine how the Finnish Roma are represented and what these representations entailed and revealed about how the Roma are seen in the Finnish context. This evaluation occurred through Carol Bacchi's What's the Problem Represented to Be (WPR) approach and by assessing whether Roma are othered. For perspectives beyond the policy, interviews were conducted with Finnish Roma NGOs. The findings suggested that the integration measures recommended in Finland tend to require the Roma to become more 'Finnish', treat the Roma as a homogenous group and demand for positive encounters and perceptions of the Roma for the main population. Furthermore, the policy left little room for criticism as it is set in the narrative of Finland being a tolerant, modern nation where legislation provides a good premise for Roma integration. (Less)
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author
Strand, Nina Emilia LU
supervisor
organization
course
SIMZ11 20231
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Romani, Finland, WPR approach, integration policy, equality
language
English
id
9122301
date added to LUP
2023-06-21 15:56:14
date last changed
2023-06-21 15:56:14
@misc{9122301,
  abstract     = {{Europe's largest and most excluded minority, the Roma, have been the subject of several policies that have aimed at increasing their integration and equality. In Finland, a country setting itself as among the leaders in Roma rights, this policy is Finland's National Roma Policy (ROMPO). ROMPO2, from 2018 to 2022, was critically evaluated in this thesis to examine how the Finnish Roma are represented and what these representations entailed and revealed about how the Roma are seen in the Finnish context. This evaluation occurred through Carol Bacchi's What's the Problem Represented to Be (WPR) approach and by assessing whether Roma are othered. For perspectives beyond the policy, interviews were conducted with Finnish Roma NGOs. The findings suggested that the integration measures recommended in Finland tend to require the Roma to become more 'Finnish', treat the Roma as a homogenous group and demand for positive encounters and perceptions of the Roma for the main population. Furthermore, the policy left little room for criticism as it is set in the narrative of Finland being a tolerant, modern nation where legislation provides a good premise for Roma integration.}},
  author       = {{Strand, Nina Emilia}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Towards inclusion or exclusion? A critical analysis of the Finnish Roma in Finland's National Roma Policy}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}