Migration, cultural sustainability, and integration : a discourse analysis of multiculturalism and migration in Canada and Finland

Abstract

The aim of this thesis is to assess how the discoursesof migration and multiculturalism arebeendepicted in the Finnish and Canadian policy documents. This was assessed by using the concept of governmentality and multiculturalism as the theoretical framework of the study. The concept of governmentality was used as a background to examine and interpret power relations and discourses in the data and how they influence contemporarydebate in these societies. The result was analysedqualitatively using theoretical –discourse analysis. And the analysis of the study was mainly based on the integration policy documents from Finland and Canada. The result of the study indicated that both Canada and Finland seeksto convert the adverseeffect of migration into a resource for socio-economic development that seeks to promote and protect the continued evolution of these countries. The results show that multiculturalism in Canada is constitutionally recognisedas national identity and heritage which represent multiculturalism as the same or part of cultural sustainability. While in Finland, multiculturalism as a public policy is an ongoing debate within the public domain. Some segment of the Finnish population thinks multiculturalism is a threat to national culture or monoculturalism which also serve as a component of cultural sustainability whilethe national policy presents multiculturalismas the best societal condition to withstand the effectsof diversity. The results also presented integration and multiculturalism asafundamentalrightfor both migrants and citizens. And it reaffirms the claim thatmulticulturalism produces identity. iiiIn addition, the study concludes that the magnitude at which multiculturalism is changing Finnish and Canadian societies can be visible and measured based on its impacts on the discoursesof education and creativity, civil society and fundamental right. The study recommends a future research in a larger scale to ascertain the impact ofmulticulturalism on cultural sustainability. Thisresearch also encounters numerous limitations which include; time constraint, language barriersand complexity of obtaining and analysingpolicy documents.