Multicultural Education in Finland

This paper reviews discourses on multicultural education and the concept of intercultural competences in the European and Nordic country of Finland. We are interested in their present uses and perceptions by decision-makers, researchers, but also student teachers. Some prognosis for the future is made based on a short case study from art teacher education in this context. The article also represents an attempt to evaluate how intercultural competences are being reconceptualised in global scholarship today. This serves as a template for examining the Finnish context. Introduction 1. Policies on Multicultural Education in Finland 2. Intercultural Competences: A Much Sought After Tool in Education and Beyond 3. Perceptions of Intercultural Competences in a Teacher Education Programme in Finland 4. Creating Glocal Meanings in Finnish Art Education Conclusion and Discussion: Towards a Glocally Oriented Approach to Multicultural Education and Intercultural Competences in Finland – and Elsewhere? Notes References Vol. X, No. X International Journal of Multicultural Education Year 2 We Fred Dervin, Martina Paatela-Nieminen, M.-Kaisa Kuoppala and Anna-Leena Riitaoja confirm that the submission is all my (our) own work and does not include any work completed by anyone other than the author(s). Works of others used in this submission are cited with correct source information and/or properly acknowledged. I (we) also confirm that this submission is submitted only to the International Journal of Multicultural Education (IJME) and will not be submitted to elsewhere while being considered by IJME. If I (we) decide to submit it elsewhere before its publication, I (we) agree to withdraw the submission officially by writing to the editor ([email protected]). Names of Authors: Fred Dervin, Martina Paatela-Nieminen, M.-Kaisa Kuoppala and Anna-Leena Riitaoja