Browsing by Subject "rakenteellinen rasismi"

The purpose of this Master’s thesis was to research possible tensions between the aims of anti-racism and the Finnish educational institution. The thesis describes situations where these tensions become apparent in the Finnish educational institution and in anti-racist work. The thesis makes use of previous research that sees racism as a process of racialization and othering, as well as understands racism pri- marily as a structure. The thesis is contextualized in the Finnish educational system where the idea of white normativity is maintained. Previous studies have shown that debate on racism is ignored in Fin- nish educational institution even though it is part of everyday reality of the entire school, students and teachers. The purpose of this thesis is to understand the situations that may challenge the introduction of anti-racism into the Finnish educational system. The data consisted of interviews with specialists which were arranged in the spring of 2021. I intervie- wed three specialists of anti-racism who have taken anti-racism forward in Finland. In addition, all specialists had connection to the educational system through their work history or education. I applied thematic analysis in my research. I applied the phases of the thematic analysis of Braun and Clarke in particular. I understood the research process from the perspective of the anti-racist agenda and feminist methodology. My research results are structured through three themes that describe the position of anti-racism in the Finnish educational system. According to the results, the Finnish educational system operated on a white narrative that defined the idea of normal. Based on my results, it can be concluded that the aims of anti- racism are not easily achieved in an inflexible educational system. In educational system, power and institutional racism are easily left out of the debate. The educational system was described through glorifying speech that praised equality and non-discrimination. Teachers were also identified as bene- factors through this speech. However, the results show that the Finnish educational system cannot se- parate itself from racism. Due to the contradiction, it is not easy to incorporate anti-racism or any form of critical pedagogy to a Finnish educational system. The results also showed that racism is easily out- sourced and ignored in the Finnish educational system. This happened through curricula, teachers, and practices in the school system. The inflexibility of the school system and the difficulty to position ins- titutional racism in the Finnish educational system united all the three themes.