I was invited to the 2017 European Researchers’ Night, funded by Marie Skłodowska-Curie
actions (European Commission’s Horizon 2020). The event took place at the “Think Corner” (University of Helsinki). You can
watch the Unitube video (I was the first one of the evening). Let
me share the gist of the talk. It’s a preliminary interpretative attempt.
I believe the decision to go abroad
is influenced by a “push-pull” factor: something is attracting and something is
pushing away from “home”. One of the activating question for the audience
was: “Nobody knows you in the host country: new colleagues at work, new
friends, new sentimental relationship. How do you present yourself?”. A) Exactly in the same old way: I want to be
110% who I am back at home. B) I change something: I do not want to be
exactly the same person. C) I change everything: I want to be a totally
different person.
Once abroad,
the Self is separated from the confirming and confining matrix of “home”, it is
no longer an emplaced self. In this situation the “actor” is forced and allowed
at the same time to present him/herself in a slightly different way. It’s
a new stage with a different underpinning story: you cannot play exactly by the
same old script. At the same time the young traveller is not socialized to a
leading narrative of/for Finland. Thus, in Helsinki you have both the freedom
and the possibility (because it’s a well-ordered and functional society) to
express yourself. Finland is a mysterious place where you can partially build a
new Self-image and play it on the city everyday life stage. A Nordic
Self? Of course, I need to think more about this idea.
Pierluca Birindelli's research explores processes of identity-building in another culture. #MSCAnight #tiedekulma @TutkijoidenYo pic.twitter.com/pYlUAB3V1s— Helsinki University (@helsinkiuni) September 29, 2017
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