Transnational and Local Negotiations of Identity: 'Experiences from second-generation young people in Finland'

This article discusses how second-generation identities are negotiated in the intersection of multi-ethnic realities of everyday life in Helsinki and often multi-sited kin-based transnational ties. The discussion draws from a research project that examined the second generation’s reproduction of tra...

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Main Author: Lotta Haikkola
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Helsinki University Press 2011-12-01
Series:Nordic Journal of Migration Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journal-njmr.org/articles/46
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author Lotta Haikkola
author_facet Lotta Haikkola
author_sort Lotta Haikkola
collection DOAJ
description This article discusses how second-generation identities are negotiated in the intersection of multi-ethnic realities of everyday life in Helsinki and often multi-sited kin-based transnational ties. The discussion draws from a research project that examined the second generation’s reproduction of transnational fields of relations and identity negations. First, the article outlines the societal context of ethnic hierarchies in Finland that structure identity negotiations. Then it presents four case studies, each representing a specific combination of transnational ties and experiences and local identity negotiations. The intersection of a transnational context, local structures of ethnic hierarchies, and family practices places the children between competing reference points that lead to distinct identities between, but also, within different ethnic groups. The article concludes that children of immigrants do not simply continue their parents’ transnational practices, but reproduce and interpret the transnational context as a part of their local lives. Transnational identity construction is an exercise that does not lead to transgressive identities related to global space, but to local struggles for a positive identity. Nevertheless, it opens up a global perspective for identity negotiations that is not contained within the local or national context.
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spelling doaj.art-49035d1f3455485aae15aff8eae5ab862022-12-22T00:15:32ZengHelsinki University PressNordic Journal of Migration Research1799-649X2011-12-011315616510.2478/v10202-011-0019-842Transnational and Local Negotiations of Identity: 'Experiences from second-generation young people in Finland'Lotta Haikkola0Department of Social Research, PB. 16, 00014 University of HelsinkiThis article discusses how second-generation identities are negotiated in the intersection of multi-ethnic realities of everyday life in Helsinki and often multi-sited kin-based transnational ties. The discussion draws from a research project that examined the second generation’s reproduction of transnational fields of relations and identity negations. First, the article outlines the societal context of ethnic hierarchies in Finland that structure identity negotiations. Then it presents four case studies, each representing a specific combination of transnational ties and experiences and local identity negotiations. The intersection of a transnational context, local structures of ethnic hierarchies, and family practices places the children between competing reference points that lead to distinct identities between, but also, within different ethnic groups. The article concludes that children of immigrants do not simply continue their parents’ transnational practices, but reproduce and interpret the transnational context as a part of their local lives. Transnational identity construction is an exercise that does not lead to transgressive identities related to global space, but to local struggles for a positive identity. Nevertheless, it opens up a global perspective for identity negotiations that is not contained within the local or national context.https://journal-njmr.org/articles/46second generationyouthtransnationalismidentity
spellingShingle Lotta Haikkola
Transnational and Local Negotiations of Identity: 'Experiences from second-generation young people in Finland'
Nordic Journal of Migration Research
second generation
youth
transnationalism
identity
title Transnational and Local Negotiations of Identity: 'Experiences from second-generation young people in Finland'
title_full Transnational and Local Negotiations of Identity: 'Experiences from second-generation young people in Finland'
title_fullStr Transnational and Local Negotiations of Identity: 'Experiences from second-generation young people in Finland'
title_full_unstemmed Transnational and Local Negotiations of Identity: 'Experiences from second-generation young people in Finland'
title_short Transnational and Local Negotiations of Identity: 'Experiences from second-generation young people in Finland'
title_sort transnational and local negotiations of identity experiences from second generation young people in finland
topic second generation
youth
transnationalism
identity
url https://journal-njmr.org/articles/46
work_keys_str_mv AT lottahaikkola transnationalandlocalnegotiationsofidentityexperiencesfromsecondgenerationyoungpeopleinfinland