Transnational Activities and Identifications –A population-based study on three immigrant groups in Finland

ABSTRACT

Our understanding of the lived experience of transnationalism is limited by the scarcity of high-quality quantitative evidence. Representative evidence on the emotional and identification aspects of transnationalism is especially missing. To address this gap, we investigated the transnational involvement of three migrant groups – Somali, Kurdish and Russian – in Finland. Using high-quality random sample survey data, the study examined transnational activities – remittance sending, following media, keeping in touch with and visits to the country of origin – as well as transnational identification with significant others living abroad. Multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) demonstrated that transnational involvement can be empirically divided into transnational activities and identifications, as suggested by prior theoretical works. Regression analysis showed that transnational activities and identifications varied strongly between the three groups. Russians were the most active in transnational activities while Somalis showed the highest levels of identification with their country of origin. Activities increased with the longer stay, while identification decreased. Family ties played a role in transnational identification. Our results point towards the complexity in the relationship between transnational involvement and economic integration in the host society.

KEYWORDS:

• identification
• integration
• migration
• quantitative methods
• transnationalism

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The study was funded by the Strategic Research Council at the Academy of Finland [grants 327145 and 327148 for the DigiIn Project], the Academy of Finland [grant 312310 and 336669] for the Centre of Excellence for Research on Ageing and Care, RG 3 Migration, Care and Ageing), Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Helsinki (contribution to the Centre of Excellence funding), Kone Foundation (project Crossing Borders for Health and Well-Being), the University of Helsinki three year research grants, Helsinki Metropolitan Region Urban Research Program and the City of Turku/West-Finland Housing Association of Public Utility (Länsi-Suomen YleishyödyllinenAsuntosäätiö).

Notes on contributors

Laura Kemppainen

Laura Kemppainen, PhD, is a University Researcher at the University of Helsinki. She does research on sociology of health, migration and transnationalism studies and ageing. Currently, she works in the Finnish Centre of Excellence on Research in Ageing and Care (CoE AgeCare) and in the project ‘DigiIn – Towards socially inclusive society’ funded by the Strategic Research Council at the Academy of Finland.

Teemu Kemppainen

Teemu Kemppainen, PhD, is Senior Lecturer in Urban Geography at the University of Helsinki and an associated fellow at Centre Maurice Halbwachs (CNRS/EHESS/ENS), Paris. In addition to immigration, he has been studying well-being as a contextual phenomenon from various aspects, including theory of recognition, welfare regimes, urban contexts and insecurity. His other current research interests include mixed methods methodology, critical theory and urban studies.

Shadia Rask

Shadia Rask, PhD and occupational therapist, is a research manager at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) and a member of the Expert Group of Cultural Diversity (MONET) at THL, Finland. Her main research interests are related to diversity and health inequity in the population. Her published works focus on migration and health, particularly the mental health and physical functioning of populations of migrant origin and the association between experiences of discrimination and health and well-being.

Pasi Saukkonen

Pasi Saukkonen, PhD, is a political scientist working currently at the City of Helsinki Executive Office, Urban Research and Statistics unit. Previously he has been working as Senior Researcher and as the Director of The Finnish Foundation for Cultural Policy Research (Cupore) and in different positions at the University of Helsinki. He holds an Adjunct Professorship at the University of Helsinki (political science) and at the University of Jyväskylä (cultural policy). He has published widely on nationalism and national identity, integration policies and politics in a multicultural society.

Hannamaria Kuusio

Hannamaria Kuusio, PhD, and Public Health Nurse, is a research manager at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) and a member of the Expert Group of Cultural Diversity (MONET) at THL, Finland. Her main research interests are related to migrants and minorities’ health, particularly their access to health and social services as well as foreign-born health care professionals’ integration to health services in Finland.