‘White Flight’ in Finland? A Qualitative Study into Finnish-born Families’ Housing and School Choices in Turku,

Authors

• Sirkka Komulainen

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23979/fypr.45074

Keywords:

housing choces, school choices, white flight, deconstruction

Abstract

White flight refers to a phenomenon whereby native middle class residents avoid
or move away from areas with immigrant concentrations thereby contributing to
ethnic and residential segregation. The recent increase in immigration into Finland
has spurred public debates suggesting that white flight - in connection with school
choices - might also be happening in Finland. In this article, the phenomenon is
scrutinized and unravelled conceptually. The discussion draws on a recent qualitative
study undertaken in Turku. The study involved 31 in-depth interviews with native
Finnish parents of primary- and preschool aged children. The results indicate that
neither the schools nor immigration determined families housing decisions that were,
ultimately, multifaceted and situated within specific life courses and circumstances.
Mainly thematic but also discourse and life course analysis methods were employed
to tease out nuances around talk and action, also helping to further understand the
dynamics of attitudes in this context.