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Photo: Alexandr Unikovskiy \/ Pexels.com<\/p>\n
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In this blog post, I will explore the social exclusion of S\u00e1mi indigenous people in a Finnish context. This blog will serve as background to a discussion on green coloniality that will follow in a second blog post. I mainly aim to explore the sociocultural and economic borders built between S\u00e1mi and the Finnish government. I will discuss this topic from a perspective of coloniality of power, a theoretical framework initially developed by the Peruvian sociologist An\u00edbal Quijano<\/strong>, as well as borders and social exclusion. In my second blog post, I aim to tie these concepts together through the concrete case of wind power projects in Finland, exploring how green colonialism contributes to the process of bordering and social exclusion of S\u00e1mi peoples in Finland.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Coloniality of power as a framework aims to explain how the formal political colonisation system affects power relations in the contemporary world. Although formal colonialism has been abolished in most cases, a Eurocentric worldview still dominates. The colonial power structures have later been codified as, for example, race, ethnicity and nationality, and they maintain the Eurocentric power still today. The coloniality of power can be seen in perception of knowledge and science, among others. The Eurocentric view is considered the \u201crational\u201d and \u201cobjective\u201d one, compared with, for example, indigenous knowledge[1]<\/a>.<\/p>\n In Finland, Suvi Keskinen<\/strong> from the University of Helsinki has studied how coloniality of power exercised by the Finnish state (and before that, the Swedish kingdom, which Finland was part of until 1809) has affected S\u00e1mi peoples throughout history. Race theory was developed by Finns during the 19th<\/sup> and 20th<\/sup> centuries with the objective to \u201cprove\u201d the inferiority of the S\u00e1mi race, which included measuring skulls and photographing S\u00e1mi bodies.\u00a0Since then, the existence of a biological race has been proven a misconception[2]<\/a>, but stereotypes relating to cultural, social and political race are still alive. Land ownership and land use rights have been gradually removed from the S\u00e1mi communities. For example, municipal and national governments replaced the self-organising S\u00e1mi villages (siidas<\/em>). Assimilation programmes, notably the boarding schools created in the mid-20th<\/sup> century for promoting Finnish language and culture, are examples of the use of colonial power by the Finnish state[3]<\/a>, traumas which are still felt today within the S\u00e1mi communities[4]<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The national borders that divide S\u00e1pmi into parts of the Nordic nation-states are not generally visible, but they play a significant role in the daily lives of S\u00e1mi. A person might have to cross a national border to visit a relative living in the same S\u00e1pmi region, speaking the same language. The creation and shifts in the national borders have negatively impacted S\u00e1mi cultures and livelihoods[5]<\/a>. However, these are not the only borders that exist for S\u00e1mi communities. Borders can be seen as complex institutions that are multidimensional and overlapping[6]<\/a>. Apart from administrative and geopolitical nation-state borders, sociocultural and economic borders have been built between the Nordic settler states and the indigenous S\u00e1mi groups. These borders appear and are often established to draw lines between the \u201cself\u201d and \u201cothers\u201d[7]<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n As a result of the coloniality of power that has been exercised against the S\u00e1mi in Finland, borders have been established that divide Finland\/Finns as the (settler) colonial power from the \u201cothers\u201d, i.e. S\u00e1pmi\/S\u00e1mi. Socially, S\u00e1mi peoples have been infantilised, leading to Finns of the mainstream culture seeing them as incapable of managing their matters, justifying the assimilation programmes that have historically taken place.\u00a0Culturally, this is seen in the mocking of S\u00e1mi culture in Finnish media, such as TV shows, as well as through cultural appropriation of e.g. S\u00e1mi traditional clothing [8]<\/a> . There are countless accounts of Finns speaking out to undermine the gravity of this ridicule and cultural appropriation[9]<\/a>. Economically, limiting access to land and regulation of central S\u00e1mi livelihoods such as reindeer herding and fishing has negatively impacted income opportunities and sustaining livelihoods [10]. I have also personally witnessed t<\/span>he coloniality of power exercised by the Finnish state. I myself grew up in Southern Finland in the 90s surrounded by TV sketch-shows \u2018punching down\u2019 at S\u00e1mi, kids in my school yard wearing fake S\u00e1mi hats, and being taught virtually nothing of S\u00e1mi history and culture in school.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The bordering processes have led to the social exclusion of S\u00e1mi peoples. Social exclusion as a concept looks at the processes that drive power relations and inequality. Further, it examines the multidimensionality of deprivation and different forms of it. Although there are many definitions and applications of social exclusion, one of its aspects is examining inequalities or exclusion as a result of social relationships, taking into account the power and status of different groups of people. The unequal use of power creates hierarchies of power between social groups[12]<\/a>\u00a0 \u2013 in line with the concept of coloniality of power. Social exclusion aims to discover the process in which these power relationships cause inequalities between different groups. The process of social exclusion of the S\u00e1mi has been built during several decades of uneven power relationships between the Finnish state (or the Swedish crown , before the establishment of Finland as a nation state)\u00a0and the S\u00e1mi communities[12]<\/a>. The unequal use of power can be explained through the coloniality of power. The Finnish, Eurocentric view on knowledge, science and rationality was considered superior to the infantilised S\u00e1mi peoples.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n See my second blog post<\/a> that discusses how the social exclusion of S\u00e1mi communities is affected by green colonialism as part of Finnish climate politics.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n ———————————————————————————————–<\/p>\n [1]<\/a> Quijano, A. (2007). COLONIALITY AND MODERNITY\/RATIONALITY. Cultural studies (London, England)<\/em>, 21(2-3), 168-178. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/09502380601164353<\/a>; Quijano, A. (2000). Coloniality of Power and Eurocentrism in Latin America. International sociology<\/em>, 15(2), 215-232. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0268580900015002005<\/a><\/p>\n [2]<\/a> Chou, V. (2017). How Science and Genetics are Reshaping the Race Debate of the 21st Century. Blog on website of Harvard University, The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Available at: https:\/\/sitn.hms.harvard.edu\/flash\/2017\/science-genetics-reshaping-race-debate-21st-century\/<\/a><\/p>\n [3]<\/a> Keskinen (2019)<\/p>\n [4]<\/a> West, S. (2021). Eatnameamet: Our Silent Struggle<\/em>. Documentary film<\/p>\n [5]<\/a> Keskinen (2019)<\/p>\n [6]<\/a> Haselsberger, B. (2014). Decoding borders. Appreciating border impacts on space and people. Planning theory & practice,<\/em> 15(4), 505-526. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/14649357.2014.963652<\/a><\/p>\n [7]<\/a> Newman, D. (2003). On borders and power: A theoretical framework. Journal of borderlands studies<\/em>, 18(1), 13-25. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/08865655.2003.9695598<\/a><\/p>\n [8]<\/a> Ranta, K. & Kanninen, J. (2019). Vastatuuleen: Saamen kansan pakkosuomalaistamisesta<\/em>. Kustantamo S&S; West (2021)<\/p>\n [9]<\/a> See e.g. N\u00e4kk\u00e4l\u00e4j\u00e4rvi, P. (2016). N\u00e4k\u00f6kulma: N\u00e4rk\u00e4styneet saamelaiset otsikoissa. Yle\/ Finnish Broadcasting Company<\/em>. Available at: https:\/\/yle.fi\/sapmi\/3-8877876?fbclid=IwAR0X_XRQTDKBnT-ZPhWVZsA7GXeFrerYbGLDVu1H_SqQL6SEdel55ziK1Ok<\/a><\/p>\n [10]<\/a> Ranta, K. & Kanninen, J. (2019). Vastatuuleen: Saamen kansan pakkosuomalaistamisesta<\/em>. Kustantamo S&S; West (2021)<\/p>\n [11]<\/a> Mathieson et al (2008). Social Exclusion: Meaning, measurement and experience and links to health inequalities. A review of literature. WHO Social Exclusion Knowledge Network Background Paper 1. Available at: https:\/\/www.who.int\/social_determinants\/media\/sekn_meaning_measurement_experience_2008.pdf.pdf<\/a><\/p>\nColoniality of power<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Social, cultural and economic borders<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Social exclusion of S\u00e1mi<\/strong><\/h4>\n