Specialization: Study of Religion
Albinism in Cameroon : How persons living with albinism experience social exclusion in Cameroon
“This study aims to study persons living with albinism (PWA) experiences in Cameroon through the lens of social exclusion. PWA suffers from different forms of social exclusion in Cameroon because of the lack of Melanin. Studying their experiences with melanin people in Cameroon reveals that their lack of melanin (albinism) is a focal reason for their experiences of social exclusion. The difference in skin creates adaptation and socialisation problems, with many myths and misconceptions surrounding PWA that have spread over the years within many African Communities. They are viewed as ghosts and nonhuman by the melanin people who consider themselves humans. One of the main findings of this study is that albinism in Cameroon remains a misunderstood phenomenon, and many people do not understand the complex experiences of PWA in Cameroon. PWA continue to be ridiculed unconsciously due to a lack of knowledge of melanin people in Cameroon.
This is a thesis summary of three blog posts focused on the issues of Albinism in Cameroon. This non-traditional thesis offers a novel way of conducting academic research. It is inspired by the article-based research style used in most PhD theses in Finland.”
Specialization: Study of Religion
Social Exclusion of the Yoruba Traditional Priest : “Babalawo” through the lens of the Child Naming Ceremony
“This thesis examines the impact of Christianity on the practice of naming ceremony among the Yorubas of Southwestern Nigeria. The study explores how the traditional priests-Babalawo, who was once the officiating priest for naming ceremonies,, are now being excluded from the practice. In doing so, the study explored the differences and similarities between Christianity and the Yoruba religion.
The research findings demarcate the differences and similarities in the host communities. The study also established that peaceful co-existence between the two religions was exemplary, and their collective impact on both communities was praise-worthy in terms of the promotion of social cohesiveness. The provision of certain primary data on past and recent literature collection and observations were made. Recommendations were given to basically strengthen the maintenance and entrenchment of the respect of freedom of worship and belief, and possible method of resolution to be applied in any religious conflict that may arise in both communities being studied.”
Specialization: Study of Religion
Critical discourse analysis of ‘Serving the Truth about Marriage and Family’ : an inquiry into how social exclusion of childless women in Poland is built on theological arguments
“Women’s rights violations in Poland have become highly debated in recent years, not only within the country but also internationally. This thesis focuses on the group often omitted in the debates on women’s rights, namely, childless women. Childlessness is a relatively new research topic and lacks a developed theoretical framework. I decided to study the phenomenon using the social exclusion theories as a theoretical framework.
The endorsement of parenthood in many discourses in Poland puts social pressure on women and may lead to social exclusion. Because the Catholic Church has a significant impact on Polish society, I chose to analyse the discourse of the Polish Episcopate and identify the areas for further research.
The method chosen to accomplish this aim is critical discourse analysis. As an example of discourse produced by the Catholic Church in Poland, I picked a document from the Polish Episcopal Conference prepared by the Family Council Służyć prawdzie o małżeństwie i rodzinie (Eng. Serving the truth about marriage and family), published in 2009. To my knowledge, the topic of childlessness in the discourse of the Catholic Church in the Polish context has not been explored before; hence my work is an invitation to do further research into the topic.”
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Uy, Jan Louie Segundo
Specialization: Theology
“He Loved Me First so I Need to Love My Neighbors” : Filipino Migrants’ Experiences of Resilience against Racism and Discrimination in Finland
“The Filipino migrants’ experiences of resilience against racism and discrimination in Finland is an under-investigated topic. The social exclusion of migrants and the need for a theological reflection opens up a different way of observing, interpreting, and understanding people’s experiences and their responses. In this theological inquiry, the researcher recruited five Filipino migrants who (1) currently live in Finland, (2) have lived in Finland for at least a year, and (3) have experienced racism and/or discrimination. Using systematic theological approach and hermeneutic phenomenology, the researcher conducted semi-structured interviews that explored the participants’ experiences of resilience against racism and discrimination in depth. The research findings produced rich descriptions about the participants’ experiences of resilience against their perceived racism and discrimination. Focusing on the research question, “How do religious, spiritual, or theological factors support Filipino migrants’ experiences of resilience against racism and discrimination in Finland?”, five identified categories or thematic clusters came out of the data. The study reveals that religion or, more carefully, specific Christian spiritual formation practices like reliance on prayer, use of Scriptures, seeing the self in others, the practice of forgiveness, and the imitation of Christ support the Filipino migrants’ experiences of resilience against racism and discrimination in Finland.”