Traversing Terrains of Proximities and Place Attachment in Forced Migrants' Lives in Finland

Abstract

This study focuses on place attachment in the experiences of forced migrants in Finland. We are interested in how places feel distant or close and analyze the relations of everyday materialities and place attachment. Forming place attachments and a sense of home during forced migration is crucial for wellbeing and requires negotiation between a place and the people settling in. We draw from 25 interviews with ten participants, combining walking interviews with reflective follow-up sessions. Our findings demonstrate that place attachment is shaped by three types of proximity: spatio-temporal, affective, and positional proximity. These three are closely entangled with each other, influencing how close, safe, or comfortable a place feels. The participants' accounts stress that there is an urgent need to start considering how to create places of joy, where forced migrants can feel a sense of belonging as well as take control of their own lives.