Sámi’s predicament: Panu Puhakka, Everyone is for Sámi, yet no one agrees, MA dissertation, University of Helsinki, 2025 | settler colonial studies blog

Sámi’s predicament: Panu Puhakka, Everyone is for Sámi, yet no one agrees, MA dissertation, University of Helsinki, 2025

02Jul25

Abstract: This thesis asks what kinds of themes and ignorances arise in the Finnish Parliament, when Members of the Finnish Parliament (MPs) legislate on Sámi, and what kind of implications Parliamentary discussions have, regarding Finnish policy toward Sámi, and the relations between the Finnish state and Sámi. Sámi, the only recognized Indigenous people in the European Union live across Northern Finland, Sweden, Norway, and the Kola Peninsula, in their traditional homeland Sápmi, and have been, throughout the history, the subjects of various assimilationist and colonial policies and efforts. To examine the situation, this thesis draws from settler colonial theory as well as theories of knowledge and ignorance. Publicly available parliamentary data two Records of Parliamentary Plenary sessions, PTK 127/2022 and PTK 128/2022, and six written questions, publicly available through the website of the Finnish Parliament, are examined through thematic analysis, as this was deemed the most effective way to examine the contributions Finnish MPs have made between 2014 and 2022, considering that ignorance has not been studied in this context in Finland. The analysis finds six themes regarding ignorances and their implications for the Sámi and the Finnish society as a whole. This thesis finds that both ignorances and colonialisms in the contributions made by MPs are rooted in the view that Indigenous rights are a zero-sum game. Furthermore, the MPs in question have an implicit worry regarding the land use in Sápmi with the emergence of Sámi rights. Finally, the implications of the findings to Sámi, wider society, and further research are discussed.

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