4: Homonationalism and talking back in Finnish social work with non-heterosexual people with refugee backgrounds

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This chapter investigates the homonationalist and colonial meaning-making processes in Finnish social work. It asks what kind of stories social workers and non-heterosexual people with refugee backgrounds tell about Finland, about the refugees’ countries of origin and about migrant communities. The data consist of semi-structured interviews with 12 Finnish social workers and six non-heterosexual people with refugee backgrounds living in Finland. The analysis indicates that social workers discursively use the oppression in refugees’ countries of origin to construct Finland as superior to them – as a discrimination-free gay haven. The participants with refugee backgrounds talk back to these single stories by telling alternative stories of their countries of origin, of migrant communities and of Finland. To decolonise social work, it is essential to move beyond the homonationalist meaning-making processes and towards cultural humility.

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