Paula Paajanen

I work as a postdoctoral researcher on a research project examining disengagement or disaffiliation from long-term religious communities, close relationships between those who have left and those who remain in the community, and experiences of place. I also teach social psychology part-time.

My previous research has focused on everyday intergroup contact. I have worked on the FriendMUM project, which examines intercultural friendships between mothers with immigrant and Finnish backgrounds in a friendship program. My doctoral research was conducted as part of the Mamanet project and focused on encounters between mothers of young children and everyday segregation in multi-ethnic neighbourhoods. More broadly, I am interested in how everyday interactions in different contexts shape people’s experiences and intergroup relations in increasingly diverse communities. I have also contributed to research projects examining national symbols and local environmental threats. In my research, I use a range of qualitative approaches.

Alongside my research, I have taught social psychology courses on topics including intergroup relations, mental health and wellbeing, and environmental social psychology. I am also interested in teaching practices that support inquiry-based learning and curiosity.