The significance of sport and physical activity during the acculturation and integration process of immigrants in Finland – the experts’ view

Abstract

This article examines the meaning of sport and physical activity during the acculturation and integration process of immigrants in Finland from the perspective of the people who work with immigrants (n = 15) and as such comprise the experts referred to in the title of this paper. These experts, representing 11 different countries, were interviewed in the spring of 2009. The experts were unanimous in their view that female and aging immigrants are not as physically active as young male immigrants or Finns. The main reason for this lies in the differences between the physical cultures of most immigrants and that of Finns. Sport was seen as playing an important role in teaching the Finnish language and culture and in increasing feelings of self-respect and well-being to immigrants and to wider immigrant networks. The implication here is that immigrants should at some point engage in sporting activities with people from different cultures, especially Finns. At its best sport can ease the difficulties many immigrants experience in integrating into Finnish society, but at its worst it can spark conflict between people of different nationalities and cause isolation from Finnish society.