Mothering at the Intersections: Migrant Mothers Raising Children with Disabilities in Finland

Application summary

This research draws on Disability Critical Race Theory (DisCrit) alongside Black Feminisms to examine how ableism and racism intersect in the mothering practises of sub-Saharan African, migrant mothers of disabled children in Finland. It is among the first applications of DisCrit in Finland (see also Kurki & Niemi, 2024), an emerging theoretical framework that interrogates the intersections of race and disability (Annama et al., 2013). By situating DisCrit in the previously unexplored national and social context of Finland, this study advances the boundaries of its theoretical framework and contributes to global debate. I build upon my previous study which found that Somali mothers position themselves as vital to fostering children’s strong cultural identities, self-esteem, and resilience against racism (Ahmed, 2023). Through individual and focus group interviews, I further investigate how racialised mothers’ everyday acts of care can dis/enable restrictive norms of children’s ability and parental competence. I focus on non-physical, non-sensory disabilities as racialised children are overrepresented in the categories of language, emotional and social difficulties in Finnish special education (Armila & Sabour, 2019; Laaksonen, 2008). Children of migrant parents in Finland are more likely to be diagnosed with severe autism or ADHD, with some studies suggesting that individuals from Sub-Saharan Africa are most at risk (Lehti et al., 2013; Jolma et al., 2022). Yet, the lack of the existing studies in Finland on the lived experience of disability among racialised people, underscores the need for multidisciplinary and intersectional scholarship that holds race and disability together. This study responds directly to the Finnish National Action Plan (2024–2027) (STM, 2024), aiming to support the realisation of UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD, 2006) in ways that are inclusive of intersectionality.