Sanna Aaltonen (sanna.aaltonen@uef.fi)
My background is in sociology and I hold a PhD degree in sociology (University of Helsinki) as well as a Title of Docent (Adjunct Professor) in sociology (University of Helsinki) and in sociological youth research (Tampere University). Prior to joining UEF in 2018 I worked as a Senior Researcher at the Youth Research Society and before that as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Helsinki. Most of my research focuses on young people and young adults, with a particular interest in wellbeing, welfare services, youth transitions and young adults in the margins of education or employment.
Currently I am interested in lay perceptions of social class and inequality with a special interest in language.
I can offer supervision for doctoral students in the areas of my expertise.
The Youth Well-being Study
Tiina Rättilä (tiina.rattila@uef.fi)
As a political researcher, my research interests since the 1990s have included democracy, civic activism, political participation, publicity and, broadly speaking, critical social theory. In the ALL-YOUTH project (Strategic Research Council 2018-2023), I have studied young people’s societal participation, especially from the perspective of sustainable well-being. In the HIWE project (Business Finland 2022-2024), I examine international talents’ relationship to Finnish working life and society more generally. All my research interests are united by an interest in whether different people and groups feel their voice to be heard in society, and what is their experience of being able to influence decision making in issues that concern their lives. I am also interested in developing and experimenting with new research and teaching methods.