The Society for the Study of Ethnic Relations and International Migration (ETMU) is a multidisciplinary scientific association that promotes research in this field in Finland. Research on ethnic relations and international migration is understood broadly to cover themes such as forced migration, multiculturalism, racism, nationalism, integration, minority rights, national minorities, citizenship, and other related subjects.
Background of ETMU
Finnish research on ethnic relations and international migration has been growing quickly since the 1990s, when immigration to Finland started to increase more rapidly. The Syreeni Research Program (2001–2003), funded by the Academy of Finland, brought together a broad spectrum of researchers working on questions related to international migration and ethnic relations. Partly on the basis of Syreeni, scholars working in this field saw it necessary to establish a scientific society to promote interdisciplinary research. The first steps in this direction were taken in October 2002, in conjunction with the Nordic Migration Research Conference held in Helsinki, when a group of scholars, with the lead of Annika Forsander, gathered together to form a plan for the founding of the society. During the winter of 2002–2003, a group of researchers met several times and made preparations for the founding. ETMU was officially established at the House of Science and Letters in Helsinki on June 2, 2003.