People
Ruhoollah Akhundzadeh
Doctoral researcher
Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University
Research project: EmergentCommunity
Phd project: Measuring affective responses of diverse people who experience everyday life in a virtual reality environment
I am a doctoral researcher interested in people’s emotions, affective and physiological responses. The overall goal of my research is to study people’s emotions and reveal their affective responses while they are experiencing everyday life encounters. Methodologically, my research draws on psycho-physiological measurements and affective-emotion analyses.
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ruhoollah-a-a08248123
Housana Alfashtaki
Research associate – Civil society activist
TAPRI, Faculty of Social Sciences
Tampere University
housana.alfashtaki@tuni.fi
Researcher project: Homeward
Formerly working as a Bio medical expert in Syria, I became an active member of the civil society after relocating to Finland in 2015. I am the founder of the Middle Eastern Women Association in Tampere [Lähi-idän Naisten Yhdistys], an officially registered association established in April 2018. Our objective is to support women with migrant background in their daily life and contribute to the recognition of their presence in the society.
Jing Ding
Doctoral researcher
Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University
PhD project: Labor market policy for just transition
Climate change and ecological crisis call for fundamental sustainability transformation of societies. Drawn on eco-social policy research, my PhD project focuses on the role of labor market policy in achieving an ecologically sustainable and socially just and fair transition towards low-carbon societies.
Pat Donahue
US Fulbright Scholar
Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University
My research focuses on how the many types of individual and group participation influence public policy, and the research methods we use to measure participation, policy design, and program outcomes. The coronavirus pandemic has underscored the need to better understand individual and group participation, and how social policies influence the quality of life. During my 2022 tenure, I will focus on comparing examples of resident participation, policymaking, and sustainable development in Finland, with similar examples from my US research. My other research focuses on civil rights; women in STEM; history of science; and higher education.
Research gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Patricia-Donahue-2
Alessia Greselin
Researcher
Faculty of Social Science
Tampere University
Research project: ORSI
I am a researcher in social sciences with an interest on connections between social policy and climate change. I focus on testing the appropriateness of current welfare systems to respond to climate challenges as well as researching a new paradigma to integrate environmental and social policies. My past research has concentrated on heatwave adaptation in social and health care in Italy. I am most familiar with qualitative methods, and I apply a comparative perspective.
Katariina Harjunpää
Postdoctoral research fellow
TAPRI, Faculty of Social Science
Tampere University
My research focuses on the verbal and embodied practices that participants employ to coordinate their activities and participation in social interaction. My background is in Finnish linguistics, and my main methods are conversation analysis and interactional linguistics, which I use for examining video recorded social interactions. Currently I am interested in interactional settings in which a third party facilitates conversation between others. I have worked on this theme previously in examining non-professional interpreting, and in an ongoing research project, I examine mediation in criminal and civil cases.
Tuuli Hirvilammi
Senior Research Fellow
Faculty of Social Science, Tampere University
Research project: ORSI
My research is inspired by the questions of how both ecological crisis and sustainability transformations are connected to human wellbeing and welfare states. I have an academic background in social policy and a broad transdisciplinary orientation. My research interests include the conceptualization of sustainable wellbeing, need theories, eco-welfare state, ecosocial policies, degrowth and ecological economics. Currently, I act as consortium coordinator of the ORSI-research project that studies the transformation towards an ecowelfare state.
I will gladly give interviews for media on following topics: sustainable development, sustainable wellbeing, social policy, economic growth and climate justice.
Languages: English and Finnish.
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Tuuli_Hirvilammi
Twitter: @TuuliHirvilammi
Johanna Hokka
Postdoctoral researcher
Research projects: EmergentCommunity, AFFE
I am a sociologist who is interested in the cultural politics of emotions in diversifying urban environments. More specifically, my interest lies in how emotions produce different forms of exclusions and inclusions between different individuals and groups but also work to challenge power relations in everyday lives of urban areas. Methodologically, my research draws on a cross-cultural approach, discourse analysis and ethnography.
Kaisa Hynynen
Project researcher
Research project: EKOS
My research interests focus on sustainable wellbeing and particularly on social sustainability in the context of urban segregation. I am also interested in the use of experience-based knowledge in service and urban planning and themes related to the promotion of mental health.
I will gladly give interviews for media on following topics: Sustainable wellbeing and study of suburban areas.
Languages: English and Finnish.
Researchgate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kaisa_Hynynen
Twitter: @hynynenkaisa
Liisa Häikiö
Professor in Social Policy
Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University
I will gladly give interviews for media on following topics: sustainable transformation, sustainable development, social policy, societal change, sustainable city, resident-oriented planning, people-oriented services and participation.
Languages: English and Finnish.
Twitter: @Liisahai
Salla Jokela
University Lecturer (sustainable urban development)
Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University
I will gladly give interviews for media on following topics: sustainable city, city branding, sustainable development and teaching, the social impact of tourism in cities, platform economy of tourism, the politics of images and scenery and visual culture.
Languages: English and Finnish.
TuniCris:
Twitter: @JokelaSalla
Anni Jäntti
Yliopistonlehtori (kunta- ja aluejohtaminen)
Johtamisen ja talouden tiedekunta, Tampereen yliopisto
In the heart of my research interests are local government and local governance in their broad variety. I am working on research themes related to citizen participation, local governance and management and the role and essence of local government. Currently, I am particularly interested in the role of municipalities in the sustainability transformation and the different perspectives related to it . As a researcher, I am enthusiastic, interested in many themes and always willing to learn more.
I will gladly give interviews for media on following topics: local governance, regional governance, citizen participation, local democracy, regional democracy, public management, public administration, local self-government and regional self-government.
Languages: English and Finnish.
TuniCris:
Twitter: @anni_jantti
Anna-Kaisa Kuusisto
University Lecturer in Regional Studies
Docent of Political Geography
Faculty of Management and Business, Tampere University
I am political geographer interested in spatial belonging, identity politics and everyday life in urban environments. In my recent research projects I have studied migration experiences, migration policy and governance. I am particularly interested in participatory research methods.
Lauri Lahikainen
Postdoctoral research fellow
Philosophy, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University
Research projects: ORSI, Cities, Climate Change, and Collective Responsibility
My research is situated at the intersection of environmental ethics, social ontology and epistemology, and critical theory. At the moment I am especially interested in how we can be individually and collectively responsible for our common world while our capacities for moral and political agency are shaped by the same social, political, and economic structures that cause environmental crises.
I will gladly give interviews for media on following topics: climate change and ethics, environmental ethics, individual and collective responsibility, the concept of the climate emergency and work/labor and environmental issues.
Languages: English and Finnish.
Twitter: @lauripaavo
Homepage: laurilahikainen.com
Bruno Lefort
Senior research fellow
TAPRI, Faculty of Social Sciences
Tampere University
bruno.lefort@tuni.fi
Research projects: EmergentCommunity, Homeward
My work draws on ethnographic and collaborative approaches to examine the question of belonging among diasporas. In particular, I am interested in the interplay between life-trajectories, collective memories and local environment in the ways people compose identities and social boundaries to make sense of their existence.
I will gladly give interviews for media on following topics: middle East politics and societies, diaspora/migrant communities, diversity and integration.
Languages: English and French.
Pauliina Lehtonen
Senior Research Fellow
Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University
Research projects: Participatory Budgeting, EKOS, CITIZEN SCIENCE
My work concentrates on public engagement, urban governance and participatory democracy. I’m especially interested in the questions of co-production of knowledge and the practices of public engagement and social inclusion in sustainable urban development. Currently, I am studying urban segregation from the view how the well-being and inclusion of people living in suburban areas could be recognised as part of sustainable urban development. I am also scrutinising empowering, inclusive and equitable citizen science, and the adoption of democratic innovations, particularly participatory budgeting, in Finland, Poland and the UK. Methodologically my expertise is on qualitative research, especially case study and action research as means to further the dialogic co-production of research.
I will gladly give interviews for media on following topics: participatory budgeting, urban planning, citizen participation, citizen activism, social inclusion, neighbourhoods, neighbourhood development, democracy and citizen journalism.
Languages: English and Finnish.
Henna Luoma-Halkola
Doctoral researcher in Social Policy
Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University
Research gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Henna-Luoma-Halkola
Twitter: @hluomahalkola
Karim Maïche
Postdoctoral research fellow
TAPRI, Tampere University
Research projects: EmergentCommunity, Neighbourhood yurt
My research interests contain multidisciplinary approach on societal agencies in urban contexts within Mediterranean and Scandinavian areas. In my research I focus on civic and everyday life engagement and political participation in the social movements.
TuniCris:
Samu Pehkonen
University researcher
Docent in research on social interaction, space and mobility (University of Oulu)
TAPRI, Faculty of Social Science
Tampere University
Research project: EmergentCommunity
I am a social scientist working on social interaction across variety of institutional and mundane contexts. To put it simply, I am interested in the details of routine encounters: how people recognize actions and activities when they do things together. My recent work includes directives in policing, non-lexical vocalizations, and noticings. Methodologically my research draws on ethnomethodology and conversation analysis and is often based on using video data.
Eeva Puumala
Senior research fellow
TAPRI, Faculty of Social Sciences
Tampere University
I am a social scientist interested in the interdisciplinary study of community dynamics, coexistence, and everyday life in diversifying uban environments. Ultimately, my research centres around the question: how do we live together at a time that is characterised by various social and political changes? My research builds on peace and conflict research, and is often characterised by exploratory and experimental elements. Methodologically my research draws on ethnography, participatory research methods, and arts-based approaches.
I will gladly give interviews for media on following topics: community relations, population relations, participation, urban neighbourhoods, diversity, inequality, integration, everyday peace and conflict and societal change.
Languages: English and Finnish.
TuniCris: https://researchportal.tuni.fi/en/persons/eeva-puumala
Research gate: www.researchgate.net/profile/Eeva_Puumala
Twitter: @EevaPuumala
Sanna Rikala
Senior research fellow
Social policy, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University
TuniCris:
Jarkko Salminen
Doctoral researcher in Social Policy
Research project: Rehabilitation, services and employment
Doctoral research: Mental health as a social policy challenge – a pragmatist perspective
I will gladly give interviews for media on following topics: Social inclusion, mental health services, rehabilitation allowance and young people not in employment, education or training (NEET).
Languages: English and Finnish.
Ebru Sevik
Doctoral researcher in Peace and Conflict research
TAPRI, Faculty of Social Sciences
Tampere University
PhD Project: Everyday Peace and Coexistence in Cities
I am a doctoral researcher interested in diversity, segregation, and coexistence in cities. My research particularly focuses on everyday encounters in socially mixed urban environments and socio-spatial practices of peaceful coexistence. Methodologically, my research draws on ethnography and spatial analyses.
I will gladly give interviews for media on following topics: urban segregation, everyday peace, diversity, urban development, neighborhood space and coexistence.
Languages: English and Turkish.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ebrusevik1/
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ebru-Sevik
Jonas Sjöblom
Doctoral researcher in Social Policy
Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University
My research concerns citizen participation in the processes and practices of urban planning and urban governance. I am interested in how dwellers in cities can affect the development of their living environments in a socially sustainable way. Methodologically I draw from interpretive policy analysis.
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jonas_Sjoeblom2
Twitter: @JonasSjoblom
Liina Sointu
University Lecturer, social policy (fixed-term)
Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University
Research projects: Shadows in Paradise
TuniCris:
Twitter: @liina_s
Anna Sofia Suoranta
Doctoral researcher
TAPRI, Faculty of Social Sciences
Tampere University
I am interested in everyday peace as action and the mundane coexistence of peaceful and conflicting elements in everyday life. I conduct my research among young people in urban spaces in Finland and Sweden. I encounter the world from a point of view of curiosity.
I will gladly give interviews for media on following topics: youth, peace, everyday peace and everyday conflicts.
Languages: English and Finnish.
Meeri Tiensuu
Doctoral researcher in Peace and conflict research
TAPRI, Faculty of Social Sciences
Tampere University
Research project: Homeward
I am curious to reflect human interaction as an intersection of peace, solidarity and social imagination of belonging and co-existence. I am interested in the connections between academic research, knowledge production and societal activism. In my PhD research, I focus on understanding and re-conceptualizing migrant integration, co-existence and social imagination in the Finnish society.
Ilaria Tucci
Postdoctoral researcher
TAPRI, Faculty of Social Sciences
Tampere University
Research project: Homeward
I work as a theatre practitioner, peace researcher and diversity agent. I am interested in participatory and co-creative practices of knowledge production within communities. In previous projects, I have been applying theatre as a tool of dialogue among people, participation, conflict transformation, peace education and empowerment.
Research Gate: www.researchgate.net/profile/Ilaria-Tucci
Antti Wallin
antti.wallin@tuni.fi
Research projects: ORSI, EKOS
Social change always affects urban space. My research and teaching focus on the interfaces between everyday life, urban space and politics. Recently, I have been particularly interested in how sustainability transition impacts different neighbourhoods and urban justice in general.
TuniCris: https://researchportal.tuni.fi/fi/persons/antti-wallin
Twitter: @antti_wallin