Author: Alice Chunga

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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.