Photo: Anna Muotka
Doctoral defense: The governance of immigration manifests itself in those who are being governed: Economic integration of immigrants in Arctic perspectives
13.11.2018
LL.M Nafisa Yeasmin’s doctoral thesis point out that there are different factors that negatively influence immigration in the north. Immigrants feel that they are socially excluded from mainstream northern society: research results suggest that immigrants from particular region are more vulnerable to being excluded than other immigrants. Local people’s attitudes towards immigrants vary based on the situations in which they encounter immigrants, the immigrants’ country of origin and educational background, the views of the respective groups, and so forth.
Dissertation argues that the trend of global immigration has an impact on regional governance. There are important gaps that remain in global governance, e.g. obstacles to an assessment of the economic, socio-cultural and security- related consequences, no binding forces for the preparation of development strategies, etc. These gaps hamper immigration management on the regional level. It is necessary to establish binding and worldwide standards policies under international migration law.
Therefore, this dissertation highlights regional discourses to identify the effects that include a number of substantial regional problems in order to integrate immigrants into the Arctic. Some issues of governance regarding competitive economy and socio-culture ecology are raised, focusing on state norms and policies about social sectors and actors through the case study articles.
Employment assimilation and earning assimilation is poorly understood phenomena in Lapland and there are immigrant-native gaps in employment and earnings which decrease over time but still remain a large gap. On the other hand, the hierarchical circumscription of knowledge and responsibility among different immigrant groups demands efficient and differential effective supervision for each group. Immigrants groups or individuals who have a weak sense of self would be less willing to interact with others, especially it is difficult for them to be integrated into a new social-ecological system. Conversely, for one who has a strong sense of self, his/her territoriality would help protect human ecology without disclosing what it is that needs protecting which is based on Sack´s tendency. It refers a genuine cooperation between immigrants and locals that can rectify the problems that may possibly collapse the existing bureaucracy, which entrenches and increases the new and innovative role of bureaucracy.
The Arctic as a geographic area does not have a unblemished view on effective ways to integrate immigrants, although the initiation of integration action is considered in the context of larger territory e.g., larger cities in the Arctic. There are structural shortcomings in designing and implementing the policies and strategies that causes implementation rate poorer and cannot create any sustainable sharing management or responsibility among regional actors. The rigidities of the community and society in the local context is a disadvantage, which could threaten the integration and robust levels of access to local resources.
Dissertation points to the alteration process and opportunities of integration in a specific territory, and it suggests a contingent nature of the location/territory that can establish a new conception of territorial integration. A territorial integration can emphasize a viable economic condition and subjective well-being that are needed for an active lifestyle, and good territorial planning may encourage or can discourage the physical participation of immigrants. Study argues that successful integration especially economic integration requires firstly cooperation then coordination which denotes to formal and informal relationships between immigrants and locals ( e.g. actors, sectors, individuals, entrepreneurs etc). It creates will power and determination through regular interactions and joint efforts for working together and create strength of commitments. This intensity facilitates durable relationship which is called collaboration. To a certain extent, this collaboration then can generate innovative opportunities to ease successful integration especially in the Arctic.
Information on the defense:
LL.M Nafisa Yeasmin will be defending her dissertation, The governance of immigration manifests itself in those who are being governed: Economic integration of immigrants in Arctic perspectives, with the permission of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Lapland in lecture hall 3 on 15 November 2018 at 12 noon. The opponent is Assistant Professor Jan Brzozowski, Cracow University of Economics. The custos is Research Professor Timo Koivurova, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland.
Information on the doctoral candidate:
Nafisa Yeasmin have completed masters’ in Law from Rajshahi University, Bangladesh. She has previously worked as a lecturer in the Prime University in Bangladesh. After coming Rovaniemi in 2006 Yeasmin studied Finnish language and went to Finnish working life. She worked for a long period of time with immigrants and their well-being in Rovaniemi. Yeasmin has worked as a researcher at the Arctic Centre.
Additional information:
Nafisa Yeasmin
Nafisa.Yeasmin@ulapland.fi
Information on the publication:
Nafisa Yeasmin: The governance of immigration manifests itself in those who are being governed: Economic integration of immigrants in Arctic perspectives. Acta Universitatis Lapponiensis 382. University of Lapland Printing Centre, Rovaniemi 2018. ISBN 978-952337-113-2. ISSN 0788-7604. E-version: Acta Universitatis Lapponiensis 249. ISBN 978-952337-114-9. ISSN 1796-6310.
Ulapland/Communications & Language Centre/ J-EK & AT