Social Exclusion Risks and their Accumulation among Russian-Speaking, Ethnically Finnish and Estonian Immigrants to Finland

摘要

This paper addresses the social exclusion risks of Russian-speaking and Estonian immigrants to Finland. The third research group consisted of ethnic Finns from Estonia and the Russian Federation. Our research sample consisted of 2,360 respondents; the response rate was 64 per cent. Based on a living conditions approach, the study took into account the potential influence of discrimination. We understood social exclusion multi-dimensionally as an accumulation of various risks, studied on three levels: labour market status, subsistence and health. Risks were defined as unemployment, subjective poverty, and poor self-rated health. Immigrants with at least two of these three risks were considered at risk of social exclusion. Our main hypothesis was ethnically based: the situation of the Russian-speakers would be worse than that of Estonians; no hypotheses were set concerning the situation of ethnic Finns. Social exclusion risks accumulated for a small minority: they were over three times more common among Russian-speakers (20 per cent) than among Estonians (6 per cent), with ethnic Finns at 17 per cent. Finnish ethnicity as such—independent of language skills—does not seem to give a special advantage. Labour market and poverty risks go hand-in-hand, the latter more common. The results indicate a health-based selection of Russian-speaking and Estonian male immigrants to Finland. Discrimination was linked to the risks of social exclusion. We note in conclusion the importance of policies for social inclusion and anti-discrimination.