Perception of Finns Towards Refugees and Immigrants

This chapter explores the perception Finns have towards refugees. In particular, building off intergroup threat theory (ITT), this chapter describes the extent to which Finns perceive refugees as a threat to Finnish society. Researchers have proposed Finns might perceive immigrants (and refugees) as threats because they share less cultural and physical similarities with the “Typical” Finns. As fear of this threat increases, so can the chance of intergroup conflict between these two groups. Through an analysis of in-depth interviews, this chapter brings to light these perceived threats to understand the refugee situation in Finland, as perceived by Finns.