Author: Alice Chunga

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Social Imaginary Borders and Dalit People: Analyzing through Rajkumar Peniel’s Work

WRITTEN BY Fatema Zohra, MASTER’S STUDENT, ÅBO AKADEMI UNIVERSITY
source: Phirenamenca.eu

When I began the course The Geography of Social Exclusion, I had little understanding of social imaginary borders and their impact on our social lives. Learning how COVID-19 and social imaginary borders intersected was fascinating, creating invisible divisions among countries during the pandemic. However, this made me reflect on the concept of borders within Dalit society. In my theology course, I studied Dalit Liberation by Rajkumar Panin, which deepened my understanding of caste-based exclusion. in this blog, I will briefly share my thoughts and realizations on how social imaginary borders apply to the Dalit people.

Social imaginary borders establish symbolic and institutional boundaries that people employ to create separations between each other while enforcing social exclusion. Dalits remain separated from others by social borders that combine caste prejudice with religious control systems and political status regulations that establish their societal position (Shah, 2020).

Rajkumar shows that the Indian Church has maintained caste divisions as part of its historical traditions even though it exists as a sacred spiritual institution. Dalits face marginalization in Christian communities because the Church fails to develop radical ethical principles that combat caste-based oppression. It shows that social barriers promoting discrimination exist even inside organizations that claim to champion equality and disorder (Peniel, 2010).

For many centuries Indian social discrimination known as “untouchable” has targeted the Dalit population as a result of India’s rigid caste system. The extensive presence of caste-based discrimination within India’s social, economic political, and religious structures keeps Dalits from taking full part in society. The Dalit theological movement successfully focuses on liberation yet insufficiently breaks down the core systems that enable discrimination according to Rajkumar (Peniel, 2010).

Caste-Base Discrimination against Dalit

1. Socio-cultural Exclusion

Traditional Indian social and religious organizations maintain the exclusion of Dalits because they perceive Dalits as impure. Through Hindu ideology, the caste system persists as a social system that divides people using four main categories called varnas (Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra) and places Dalits outside these groups. Through caste classification society created “untouchability” as a practice that denies participation to Dalits:

  • Individuals who belong to the lower caste must avoid accessing religious sites and places dedicated to worship.
  •  The practice of sharing food or water sources remains forbidden for lower-caste individuals when it involves persons from higher-caste backgrounds.
  • Religious ceremonies alongside festive events form part of their participation every year.
  •  People from all castes reside within the same residential communities.

Due to these restrictions, these individuals maintain their position as social outcasts which prevents them from effectively integrating with the mainstream population (Shah, 2020; Peniel, 2010).

2. Economic Exclusion and Forced Labor

Historical oppression has restricted Dalits from performing tasks such as sewage cleaning, animal disposal, and manual scavenging work because of their discriminatory position. Dalits remain segregated into substandard work despite the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act (2013) because caste prejudices run deep in Indian society.
Economic exclusion also manifests in:

  •  A denial of land ownership prevents many Dalits from accessing farmland resulting in their dependent labor positions.
  • Professional discrimination against Dalit applicants by higher-caste employers triggers unemployment, poverty, and employment segregation.
  • Dalits receive wages much lower than those paid to upper-caste workers while doing equivalent work.

3. Educational Exclusion and Discrimination in Schools
Dalit students face discrimination within the Indian education system because it restricts their possibilities to access high-quality schooling. Students from Dalit backgrounds face two school-based discrimination practices in certain rural locations where teachers segregate them from other pupils through separate classroom seating arrangements and they also limit their school meal consumption rights. Dalit student dropout rates rise because of bullying combined with caste insults and insufficient academic support which forces students to leave school prematurely. Many Dalits face barriers to accessing quality universities because they face obstacles which include high costs of education as well as discrimination even though affirmative action policies offer some opportunities (Shah, 2020).

How This Social Exclusion Happens: The Structural Reinforcement of Caste
The system of caste discrimination exists through four interconnected elements that include social learning processes alongside theological arguments, legal failures, and political disregard. Religion supports the maintenance of the caste system through scripture regulations which describe a heavenly social ranking. Religious organizations preserve caste differences despite making official changes to their practices. Children learn discrimination through generations by receiving it as an allegedly natural part of social customs. The systems of protection meant for Dalits suffer from inadequate law enforcement which enables discrimination against them to continue. Many Dalits stay dependent on upper-caste landowners and employers which creates barriers for them to fight against oppressive working conditions (Shah, 2020; Peniel, 2010).

The caste-based discrimination that exists at every point in life blocks Dalits from accessing the social community. Rajkumar finds faults with Dalit theology because it concentrates on theoretical liberation concepts instead of targeting concrete social inequalities. Dalits can only achieve their social equality when the caste hierarchy receives dismantling through simultaneous legal as well as social and religious reforms that empower them to restore their proper social standing (Peniel, 2010 ).

References:
Shah, G. (2020). Social exclusion, caste, and health: A review based on the social determinants framework. Contemporary Voice of Dalit, 12(2), 178–192. https://doi.org/10.1177/2321023020963317

Peniel, R. (2010). Dalit theology and Dalit liberation: Problems, paradigms, and possibilities. Routledge.

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Navigating Spaces

WRITTEN BY MARIA AMANI, MASTER’S STUDENT, ÅBO AKADEMI UNIVERSITY
Maria Amani. Photo by Hannamari Shakya.

This poem is motivated by my mentorship experience under a certain Social Exclusion’s alumni, and our discussions on institutional whiteness and navigating white normative spaces as professionals and racialized individuals in Finland. The poem was originally written as an assignment during my mentorship in the Spring of 2025.  

Whiteness could be defined as an ongoing process where bodies are oriented towards a specific direction, ultimately dictating how bodies take up space, and what they are allowed to do in that space (Ahmed, 2007).  Institutional whiteness is an existing normativity or a state of institutions where individuals who do not fulfill whiteness are left to learn to navigate it– or as Sara Ahmed (2012) in her book “On Being Included – Racism and Diversity in Institutional Life” describes it to “inhabit whiteness”- as a survival strategy. I would like to highlight that whiteness does not merely have to do with the color of one’s skin; rather, it is an existing norm or a state of how spaces are to be entered and operated in. I think of it as an invisible system, by which individuals portraying whiteness hold power over others. Sara Ahmed (2012 p.35) comments on whiteness arguing that whiteness tends to be visible to those who do not inhabit it (p.35). 

This poem is my intent to describe the experience and the thought process of someone navigating whiteness in today’s world.  

If navigating spaces is my portion, then I must be like a ship in the deep, dark waters of the ocean. I’m trying to distinguish between night and day, the social cues and the micro-aggressions in the break room.

I must navigate these waters of agreed social norms and expectations between approval and being “the diversity hire” that solves all your issues with anyone who doesn’t look like the people in this room.

If navigating spaces is my portion, then as a ship, I wonder where my lighthouse is. Where are the glimpses of conviction that encourage me to keep going till, I see the shores of change. This is a war on injustice, and every battleship needs its peers and allies. A break from inhabiting
a space that doesn’t belong to me.

If navigating spaces is my portion, it’s lonely out here at the sea. Like the Titanic I am hit with this unwritten rule of otherness.
What’s below the surface of your hostility?

Is it that the emotions bubbling under your own surface are not dealt with?
Is it that the sense of power you gain in this room intoxicates to the point where I am now left navigating your insecurities.

Like Maya, I will rise. I will soar on these currents that I navigate. The same currents that carried the conquistadores to a land they claimed theirs.
The same waters that witnessed the oppressed be carried into unfamiliar fields to fill them with blood, sweat, and tears for the sake of someone else’s dream to discover a new world. The same waters carry me as I navigate this day with its labels and quotas.

Maybe my ship was never meant to be in your race.

Maybe my ship has its own purpose at sea. A purpose outside of the boxes you intend to place it in.

Maybe my ship will compete in a category of its own where the sunset frames its way to the port.
A port where we all have our own place. A harbor where we all belong.

If navigating spaces is my portion, then the ship of self-righteousness has sailed. Color blindness is dead, and so is my will to entertain your perception of my existence. Journey with me! Journey with me to create a new route! Let us navigate to a better world.

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Student Housing in Turku

WRITTEN BY ANNA POIKKIJOKI, MASTER’S STUDENT, ÅBO AKADEMI UNIVERSITY
Photo by Oleksandr Pidvalnyi, Pixabay

Finding housing is one of the numerous things that you need to take care of before starting your studies in Turku. It is extremely important as having a roof over your head ensures that you have a place to rest after your days at the university.

Turku is a relatively small city with its slightly over 200,000 inhabitants. At the same time Turku is home to approximately 44,000 students. New students in Turku are primarily instructed to apply for student housing, which of course is the first option for many international students as well. The main housing provider specialised in student housing is Turku Student Village Foundation (TYS). Their housing application and instructions can be found through this link https://hakemus.etampuuri.fi/tys/. However, TYS has the capacity to accommodate approximately 7,000 students.  Applying as early as possible to get in the queue is advised. There is unfortunately no guarantee that you will receive a housing offer from them, which is why alternative options listed below are useful to keep in mind.

Other student housing options are:

In addition to student housing, there are also other housing providers with reasonable rents. However, it is worth noting that reasonable rents generally start from 500€/month without water, electricity or other fees included. Also, the other housing providers usually only provide unfurnished housing options. These housing providers include:

There are also several real estate agencies that help private landlords find tenants to their rental apartments. Such agencies are:

Additionally, rental apartments offered by private housing companies, communities and private landlords are listed at online marketplaces such as:

In case you need short-term accommodation in Turku while you wait to find a long-term solution here are some options for you:

In case you need further assistance finding accommodation, you can contact the housing counsellors of Ote Säätiö who can help with different housing related matters. The housing counsellors can be reached via e-mail asumisneuvonta@otesaato.fi or phone +358 50 391 2335.

 

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My Journey to Finland: Min resa till Finland

WRITTEN BY OLAWANDE OWOKOTOMO, MASTER’S STUDENT, ÅBO AKADEMI UNIVERSITY
My first week at Åbo Akademi University, getting my school keys at Gripen.

My name is Olawande Owokotomo, and I am a first-year Social Exclusion master’s student from Nigeria. My hobbies are gisting and watching reality TV shows. Aside from being a master’s student, I am a content creator with expertise in storytelling, a teenage coach, and a volunteer at Salvation Army International. 

I finished my bachelor’s degree in 2015, and since then, I had been thinking of a country where I could further my studies. One day, I was surfing the internet, and came across a picture of an old friend. The background of her picture didn’t look familiar, so I sent her a message to inquire where she was, and she said it was Finland. From that moment, I started researching and familiarising myself with the StudyInfo website. In no time, I found Åbo Akademi’s Social Exclusion master’s programme, and I just knew this was for me! I gathered all the necessary documents to make my application and waited till the application was opened to submit them. 

In April 2024, I received the mail from Social Exclusion programme that I had been offered admission with a partial scholarship. This led me to the next phase of my journey: applying for my resident permit. This seemed to be the toughest stage because it was completely different from my previous experiences with visa applications. I reached out to a friend in Finland who introduced me to a Telegram group where I was taught all about the process. Thanks to God, my visa was approved in less than two weeks. 

At the time of this post, I have been in Finland for 7 months, and this is my advice to incoming international students:  

Be open-minded: You would be experiencing a lot of culture shocks, especially if you are from Africa. Have control over your facial expression when you see things you find ‘awkward.’ 

Prioritize networking: Amongst many factors that will take you far in Finland, networking is highly ranked. In fact, this should start as soon as you get your admission letter! I was already networking with my course mates even before I got here, and it has opened many positive doors for me. You should also network generally with everyone in Finland. The people who received me at the airport when I got to Turku were referred to me by someone in Tampere; this is someone I met randomly on social media.  

Keep an eye on your mail: it doesn’t end with your admission letter; you will be receiving important emails about housing, enrollment, orientation, and student support from the admission office and the department. 

Housing: Apply for your housing in time. Securing an apartment can be a sport around late summer and autumn seasons. International admission will assist with links and information on housing to your mail. 

Speak up: If you have questions or make changes to your travel plan, do not hesitate to carry your department along. A student tutor will be assigned to you; be free to communicate your situation to them.  

Be optimistic: Settling isn’t the same for everybody, but your first few months might be far from your expectations. Do not be discouraged; it’s part of the journey. See every challenge as a stepping stone to getting it right! Embrace the process, and you’ll be just fine. 

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Broken Sisterhood: Investigating Social Exclusion of Black African Feminist Women in the White Finnish Feminist Movement.

Master’s Thesis written by Alice Chunga, Master’s student, Abo Akademi University
photo credit: medium.com

Motivated by my personal experience with feminism and the courses I took in the Social Exclusion Programme, I decided to research black African feminists living in Finland for my Master’s thesis. In the thesis, I aimed to investigate the complexities of existing and navigating the white feminist space as a black African feminist woman in Finland. I had insightful interviews with four black African women in different feminist spaces to learn about their experiences in the movement(s) which I present and analyse in three blogs:

Blog 1: Being a Black African Feminist in a White Finnish Feminist Space

In this blog, I answer the question: what does it mean to be a black African feminist woman in a white Finnish feminist space? From the discussion with the women, the meaning of feminism and the reality for black African women is very different especially as they have lived in Finland. They expressed that while they were still in Africa feminism had a different meaning compared to what it now means in Finland. This is because the meaning in Finland does not include or recognise them as women. They added that in feminist discussion(s), the meaning of a woman is always defined from a white woman’s point of view as if all women in Finland are white women. This is further exacerbated by the single “immigrant” identity which further erases their femininity, womanhood and blackness. This creates a toxic environment where they are constantly trying to prove they are equal with everyone in the collective.

Being a black African feminist woman in the white Finnish feminist movement means: not being recognised as a woman, only being seen as an immigrant, having the emotional burden of not being an equal, having the emotional burden of trying to fit in and being a teacher to white feminists on issues such as white supremacy and intersectionality.

Blog 2: A Feminist Uphill Battle

In this blog I answer the question: What affects black African feminists’ participation in discussions and feminist activities? I go into more detail about the barriers and difficulties that hinder black African feminist women from fully being themselves and participating in the Finnish feminist movement. There are a multitude of issues that black women and other women of colour face that white feminists have protection from because of their whiteness and their position in the racial hierarchy. The main tools white Finnish feminists use to exclude black African feminist women and other women of colour are white supremacy and Finnish exceptionalism. Even though white feminists continue to be the spokespersons for feminism, they do not address issues of intersectionality (Ajayi-Soyinka, 1993), such as imperial patriarchy, racism, varying definitions of womanhood and women’s experiences.

Blog 3: Feminism for all!

In this blog, I answer the question: How can black African feminists and white Finnish feminists collaborate more effectively? Here I outline some suggestions of possible changes that could be made in the Finnish feminist movement to make it more inclusive and representative of the diverse population of women in Finland. The suggestions include: Firstly, there should be a dismantling of white supremacy and whiteness. In the same way, that the feminist movement is focused on dismantling patriarchy, there should be an equal effort put into dismantling white supremacy within the movement and beyond. Secondly, dismantling white supremacy will only happen if white Finnish feminists recognise their place of privilege and make sure they split the power they possess with other women. Thirdly, after recognizing their privileges and power, they must provide and open the platform for other women to speak. This will ensure that no white woman speaks on behalf of non-white women on issues they do not experience. Fourthly, white feminists should go beyond mentorship and focus on sponsorship. As one participant argued, for white Finnish feminists to be allies, they must go beyond mentorship and provide sponsorship. Sponsorship goes beyond mentoring someone, it makes sure to open doors to opportunities and networks. Fifthly, white Finnish feminist women should make a conscious effort to educate themselves about their history and position in society and other people’s histories. This is the only way they can ease the burden of other women having to educate them about white supremacy, their whiteness and how these issues affect non-white women.

In the process of writing this thesis, I learned a lot about myself, the body I exist in and its relation to the world. As a black African woman, it was in some way therapeutic to have some of my feelings of not belonging validated and shared by women who looked like me. As a person who is optimistic about what feminism could provide for all women, I do not believe that feminism currently represents black African women (and other women of colour) as per my findings. On one hand, I am hopeful of the change that is possible- to make feminism more inclusive. However, I am not ignorant of the emotional cost for this change to happen. Unfortunately, this cost is only expected of the party that has lesser power in the movement, black African women. This begs the question: should black African feminists focus their energy on their “own kind of feminism”? Working towards all women being equal in the feminist movement seems futile unless white feminists recognise, acknowledge and commit to learning and unlearning about their unearned privileges and power.

Sign art by Julie Devine, Photography by Marc Nozell

You can find the full blogs and entire thesis here: Alice Chunga Master’s Thesis

References

Ajayi-Soyinka, O. (1993). Black Feminist Criticism and Drama: Thoughts on Double Patriarchy. www.researchgate.net

Picture references

Devine, J. (2018). Intersectional Feminism is the Only Feminism [Sign]. International Women’s Development Agency. https://iwda.org.au/what-does-intersectional-feminism-actually-me

[Photograph of White Feminism Isn’t Feminism SSign] (2022). https://medium.com/@mnhoskin25/aint-no-place-for-black-women-in-white-feminism-e97e30da151b

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Exclusion of the Excluded

WRITTEN BY FARIHA AFROSE, MASTER’S STUDENT, ÅBO AKADEMI UNIVERSITY

When I first started working with the Rohingya community, I thought I understood what it meant to be marginalized or excluded. But nothing could have prepared me for the stories I would hear, the unimaginable pain I would witness, and the extraordinary resilience I would come to admire. The Rohingya are not just excluded from Myanmar; they are excluded from the world. Imagine fleeing your home in fear, leaving behind everything and everyone you know, not even sure if another country will open its borders to you. Many Rohingya families fled Myanmar with no idea where they would go or whether they would find safety. They were caught in limbo—stateless, homeless, and invisible. The world watched, questioning the very foundation of basic human rights. Are they reserved only for the powerful?

I will never forget the first day I worked with the Rohingya community. My job was to support unaccompanied and separated children. Among them was a boy who had witnessed his family’s brutal murder. A neighbour who didn’t want to care for him brought him to the camp. The boy didn’t speak a word, his small body frozen in shock. I tried to connect with him, offering psychosocial first aid to break the ice. But he didn’t respond. Then, without warning, he collapsed. A crowd gathered, and someone whispered, “He’s dead.” My heart sank with guilt and helplessness. A psychiatrist later explained that the boy’s young mind couldn’t process the trauma he had endured. His brain had shut down, and eventually, so did his body. The psychiatrist said something I will never forget: “He died mentally the day he saw his family killed. His body just followed.” This story was not unique. Almost every Rohingya child I met carried deep, unprocessed trauma. Their mental health had been numbed by relentless suffering.

Life in the camp offered little relief. Families were packed into tiny spaces, leaving them with no privacy. Seven or eight people shared rooms that were barely big enough for one person. This crowded living situation created a sad reality: even in these shelters, children were not safe. One case that still haunts me was of a three-year-old girl raped by her uncle. Her mother didn’t come to us for justice—she came only for medical help. When I gently suggested seeking legal support, her response was devastating:

“We lost all our rights the day we were born as Rohingya. What justice is left for us?”

The Rohingya community’s tragic story took a catastrophic turn in 1982 with the enactment of Myanmar’s Citizenship Law. This law erased their legal identity, stripping them of every fundamental right. From that moment, their struggle for survival became a fight against systemic exclusion, persecution, and violence. I met a boy who wanted to be an engineer. He was brilliant but faced many challenges in a system that hurt his dreams. In Myanmar, Rohingya children often do not succeed in school. Teachers from military-aligned communities gave them low grades on purpose to push them out of education. Although he tried hard and changed schools many times, he eventually left the system. He told me:

“No Rohingya can finish school in Myanmar. Those who left early are lucky. They live better lives abroad. Why would they come back to this suffering?”

In 2017, when violence in Myanmar increased, many Rohingya people had to flee to Bangladesh for safety. However, Bangladesh did not give them official refugee status. This lack of status denied them basic human rights. They could not move freely within the refugee camps and could not work. Without jobs or activities to engage in, some turned to smuggling and other illegal activities to survive. At the same time, incidents of gender-based violence (GBV) increased in the camps. Women and girls faced harassment and abuse here, both physical and mental, similar to what they experienced in Myanmar. The overcrowded camps lacked proper security and privacy, making them very dangerous. I heard how women were always at risk—not just in their homes but even when trying to use the bathroom at night. Most women and girls told me they felt the same fear in Bangladesh as they did in Myanmar. “Where can we ever live without fear? Is this life?” they asked. There is no light, no humanity—only silence.

One man once said to me, “We are uneducated and uncivilized, that’s why we suffer. The world sees us as wild. But your world knows justice and ethics. So where is your education that spreads justice? Do you have any answer?”

I had no answer. Perhaps no one does.

 

 

 

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From the End of the Tunnel

My graduation photo on 18 June 2024.

Hello (again) my name is Alice Chunga, as of this autumn, I have lived in Finland for two years and have graduated with my master’s degree in Arts, Social Exclusion! Since I shared my journey from Malawi to Finland as an international master’s student, I want to share the end of my journey as a student and give some insights into what I think every international student should know about being a student in Finland, especially for those who are in Europe for the first time 

The last two years have been some of the most difficult yet rewarding. Being an international student in Finland comes with benefits and challenges like most transitions in life. However, I have grown in ways I never imagined possible and learned many things about myself. Thus, I hope my pieces of advice will be beneficial to your journey and stay in Finland.  

Firstly, be mindful of how you feel emotionally, physically, and psychologically. When you feel overwhelmed with school, work, and life, reach out to the teachers, and ask for an extension or assistance. I have found that most of them are quite understanding, but do not abuse their kindness. Staff members at your University are also a great resource for support, ask and seek them out. 

Secondly, the dark months can be more difficult for people with darker skin tones due to the little sunshine and the abundance of melanin in their skin which can lead to vitamin D deficiency. Therefore, be intentional about your health and make use of student healthcare services when you need them. 

 Additionally, you will find that as an international student, it is quite easy to get stuck in a loop of working and studying. It can be overwhelming and monotonous. Try to find something outside of school and work that keeps you grounded. For me, it has been my faith and being in constant communication with my family back home. Find hobbies, explore the city, and do what you can within your means to live outside of these two spaces. 

Give yourself grace. You are brave for making such a big move. Leaving all that is familiar and starting something in a completely new place is not easy. Give yourself grace when you feel sad, scared, or have any other feeling. When you feel overwhelmed, know there are services at the university and student health care that help support students cope with mental health challenges. 

Lastly, keep an open mind. Be open to learning, adapting, and meeting new people from different walks of life. You will learn a lot.