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Abstract
It has been studied that there are many young immigrants who are at risk of being marginalized in Finnish Lapland. There are less opportunities for participating in activities in northern Finland, access to the local labor market is difficult, and there are few activities that support the youth immigrant’s own culture. These dilemmas may have regional differences, but the economic prospects for living a meaningful life are seen to be weaker in the northern Finland than in southern Finland, and the local attitude towards immigrants is also not so positive. In this research, an intergroup theoretical framework is used to support an understanding of the personal identity of immigrant and Finnish youth, which is transformable by increasing contact between “self” and “context.” A proactive orientation (self-esteem and efficacy empathy, responsibility) is an effective way to adapt to a new circumstance. Improving the self-determination of both native and immigrant youth in an intercultural context may integrate both groups into a diverse society, and so reduce prejudice and stereotyping attitudes. This article discusses how a proactive orientation could influence adolescents in their interrelationship development and help to balance their self-esteem, and culminate in feelings of happiness and satisfaction. As a conclusion, well-being or optimism along with the happiness of youth could rely on possessing a positive personal trait that contributes to the positive psychology of autonomy, interaction (or relatedness) and competences (problem solving skills).
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Nafisa Yeasmin
Nafisa Yeasmin, Ph.D., is a researcher on International Relations, University of Lapland. Her main research interests focus on immigration to the North, Socio-economic adaptation of immigrants, and social inclusion and regional development in the European North. Recently her research emphasizes well-being and educational integration of immigrant youth in the north. She leads the UArctic Thematic Network on Arctic Migration.
Timo Koivurova
Timo Koivurova, Research professor, University of Lapland—has specialized in various aspects of international law applicable in the Arctic and Antarctic region. In 2002, Koivurova’s doctoral dissertation “Environmental Impact Assessment in the Arctic: A Study of International Legal Norms” was published by Ashgate. Recent research has addressed the interplay between different levels of environmental law, legal status of indigenous peoples, Arctic migration, law of the sea in the Arctic waters, integrated maritime policy in the EU, the role of law in mitigating/adapting to climate change, and the function and role of the Arctic Council in view of its future challenges and the possibilities for an Arctic treaty. He has been involved as an expert in several global international processes and in the Arctic region and has published extensively.
Elli Heikkilä
Elli Heikkilä, Ph.D. and Adjunct Professor, is the Research Director of the Migration Institute of Finland. Her licentiate thesis (1986) and dissertation (1989) dealt with migration and regional development. Population aging was the topic of her postdoctoral research (1993). She has taken part in many international projects including migration and labor markets, multicultural marriages, unaccompanied refugee minors, and urbanization. Heikkilä is the coeditor of the International Journal of Migration Letters. She is Adjunct Professor, specializing in population geography, at the University of Oulu, and University of Turku in Finland.