We are happy to invite you to contribute an article to our forthcoming special issue “Ethnic minorities in the North: contemporary challenges for human geography" edited by Dr. Nafisa Yeasmin, Prof. Dr. Elli Heikkilä & Prof. Satu Uusiautti. The special issue will be published by the distinguished publishing house recognized by the Finnish Publication Forum (julkaisufoorumi) and SCOPUS. We kindly invite you to contribute to this special issue of International Journal, which will be a peer-reviewed publication.

Key dates: 

Abstract submission: 10th May, 2022 (150 words max.) in .docx, .doc, .rtf, .txt., .pdf or .pages format, by email to nafisa.yeasmin@ulapland.fi

Full paper submission: 31st August, 2022 (Length of the full paper is 3500-4000 words max.)

More detailed instructions/ guidelines will be provided after the acceptance of the abstract by the editorial team.

Please don´t hesitate to ask further information by email   
Nafisa Yeasmin: nafisa.yeasmin@ulapland.fi   

Short description of the special issue:

Integration of immigrants in the North is becoming a controversial issue among people. Even though policies of the northern countries often emphasize the importance of having more people in the society for the needs of future population and regional development, this area is comparatively less studied. Who will be the future people of the North? How northern region as the geographically remote and sparsely populated region can be able to associate and deal with humans who are from outside the North? Population geography patterns across the North manifests an urgent need to study further human geography for shaping the lives and activities of people who are from the diverse cultural background and residing in the region. The relationship of (im)migrants with the space, place, climate, communities, and people includes everyday challenges experienced by immigrants in the North in order to integrate into the northern society. On the contrary, if the region receives a significant number of people from outside the region, then how to attract and retain them in this extremely remote place without having any effective integration policies?

The issue will explore whether any widespread strategy for accelerating integration in the region is worthwhile, or do every region need to focus on its own strategy based on its particular regional challenges, even though cities and rural areas in the region are facing diverse challenges and some of the challenges are similar from region to region. Integration is not merely about the social abilities of an individual, but rather a result of long-term interaction between the individual and the surrounding society. Though, successful experiences of an individual are a vital step for others to feel truly integrated. The issue will collect experiences of ethnic minorities residing in the North. The experiences of contributing to society are essential for the process of integration. Population trends between societies vary considerably as some societies are easier to integrate than others.

The special issue will accentuate a set of core geographical concepts and their impact on immigration phenomena. Regional experiences in order to harmonize profound influences that stipulate valuable insights into the integration of immigrants are a complex fact at this moment. Understating the need for immigration requires a lot more discussion at the political level as well.

The issue aims to gather contributions from multidisciplinary fields:

  • Human geography
  • Historical overview of migration in the North
  • Minorities in the North
  • Knowledge and experiences of im(migrant) in the North
  • Integration (socio-cultural, economic and political) and resilience
  • Policies and practices
  • Migration and future
  • Climate and migration
  • Urbanization and community viabilities