Paper short abstract:

The presentation will explore how visual representations of Finnish nature are present in government materials, tourism platforms, and social media. These representations symbolically exploit the forest and shape the expectations and practices of people of immigrant backgrounds.

Paper long abstract:

Finnish forests have long held a central place in the national identity, portrayed as serene spaces of pristine nature, abundant with natural beauty and recreational opportunities. These representations, however, are often rooted in cultural and historical narratives that may not align with the experiences and expectations of immigrants who have recently arrived in Finland. This symbolism is visually communicated and exploited within the framework of immigrant integration. For example, government materials, tourism platforms, and social media platforms construct an idealized version of Finnish nature. The research employs a multi-species ethnographic approach to explore how immigrants perceive and engage with these representations. Finnish government information packages for immigrants highlight the symbolic use of nature as ‘pure’, ‘clean’ and ‘tranquil’ to create an idyllic and embellished version of Finland (Bodström, 2020). The nonmaterial resource extraction of Finnish forests happens primarily through tourism and national promotion.

Based on ethnographic fieldwork research, this presentation will explore how these representations shape immigrants' understanding of Finnish society, their connection to the Finnish landscape, and their expectations for coexistence with local flora and fauna in the context of climate change. During the integration process, immigrants are encouraged to embrace Finnish nature and participate in the activities in nature. In the presentation, I will explore how visual representations impact immigrant experiences, affect cultural exchange, and challenge prevailing stereotypes. I will focus on the interaction between nature’s visual representations, immigrant experiences, and the broader societal landscape, to highlight the dynamics surrounding immigrant integration in the Finnish context.