AGORA Newsletter 2024

The eventful year of 2024 is coming to an end – the year that has marked AGORA’s 10th anniversary! With this newsletter, we provide a brief summary of what we have been up to this year in AGORA for the study of social justice and equality in education -research centre.

AGORA sends warm regards and thanks to the members of our community and wonderful colleagues both in Finland and all around the world for the vibrant academic discussions, communal support and energizing activities over the past year! We are wishing everybody peaceful, relaxing and happy holidays! 

The community 

AGORA community has again expanded, as new scholars have joined us in different positions. DSocSc, Docent (Sociology) Marja Peltola has started in 1.3.2024 in a new position as a University Lecturer at the Faculty of Educational Sciences, and strongly links with AGORA activities. Marja’s research interests are related to youth, intersectionality and gender, and she is coordinating AGORA’s doctoral seminar Critical sociology and philosophy in Education (CRISP). Afsheen Ahmed, Ilmari Huhtala, Johanna Korhonen, Janni Kurokallio and Mihaela Nyyssönen have joined the community as new doctoral researchers. Afsheen’s interests are related to ethics in education export; Ilmari’s to marginalized masculinities; Johanna’s to governance of early childhood education, Janni’s to sexual and gender minorities in comprehensive school; and Mihaela’s to generative AI and higher education as practice of freedom. A warm welcome to all of them! We wish good energies for the start of these super-interesting doctoral journeys. 

Collaboration and activities

The year 2024 has been busy year of international collaboration for AGORA. The Research Centre welcomed over 20 scholars from leading universities across the globe, such as University of Melbourne, Swansea University, University of Manchester, University of Oxford, University of Sydney, Victoria University, University of Warsaw, and University of Southern California. This vibrant exchange highlights AGORA’s commitment to fostering international collaboration and advancing global educational research.

Professor Kristiina Brunila visited the University of Melbourne, where she contributed to the joint research project Academic Turning Points, funded by the university of Melbourne.  During her visit, she also deepened her collaboration with the esteemed Education and Social Transformations research group. The ongoing collaboration focuses on innovative research addressing the future of education and the critical transformations shaping educational systems globally. 

Nationally, AGORA scholars have again been active in giving talks and lectures for various academic and other audiences. This year AGORA members have presented their work in national and international conferences and collaborated for example with the National Board of Education, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, University of Eastern Finland and University of Tampere. 

Our Doctoral Researchers Veera Tervo and Inka Tähkä organized ESELS 2024 Emerging Scholars in Educational and Learning Sciences – a conference for junior scholars in educational sciences at University of Helsinki in November, and they also chaired a thematic group on feminist educational research in FERA Conference on Education. 

Doctoral researcher Inka Tähkä was invited as a speaker at the national, annual Gender Equality Days, organized by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. This year, the focus of the Gender Equality Days was change, and Tähkä’s presentation focused on men and men’s well-being, and the opportunities and challenges in a changing world.

The initiative KOETUS – Anticipated and Alternative Futures of Finnish Education, led by Kristiina Brunila and funded by the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, organized a highly impactful Future Forum in October 2024, a two-day event filled with talks and discussions on current challenges and visions on future of education with over 150 participants. The KOETUS initiative will continue their work next year, so stay tuned by following the webpage: https://blogs.helsinki.fi/koulutuksen-tulevaisuudet/ 

Kristiina Brunila has been a regular speaker at numerous prominent events and forums, including Varhaiskasvatuksen päivät, the FinEd Network, and Puistokatu 4 – Tieteen ja Toivon Talo. Her contributions reflect a commitment to engaging with diverse audiences on critical issues in education, equity, and societal transformation. Below are recorded talks and interviews showcasing her work and insights:

Community building has remained important for AGORA. Besides our own seminars and formal and informal events and get-togethers, we for instance organized a joint Writing Retreat in August 2024 together with our fellow research group KUPOLI – Sociology and Politics of Education, to bring the communities together to kick-start the academic year. 

Awards & Acknowledgements

AGORA scholars have been awarded for their achievements: 

  • Ameera Masoud and colleagues received an honorable mention by the Nordic Journal of Migration Research Editorial Board in selection for the Best Article Award 2022–2024, for the article Masoud, A., Kurki, T., Brunila, K., & Holm, G (2023). Racialised Integration: Arabic-Speaking Refugees and Immigrants’ Experiences on the Paradoxes of Integration. Nordic Journal of Migration Research. 13, 1, p. 1-18. Read the article here: https://journal-njmr.org/articles/10.33134/njmr.543 
  • Tuija Kasa and her co-author Professor Reetta Toivanen’s article was awarded as the Article of the Year 2023 by the journal Kasvatus & Aika [Education & Time]. Acccess the awarded Finnish-language article here: https://journal.fi/kasvatusjaaika/article/view/117107 

Warm congratulations! 

Funding news

Doctoral researcher Katariina Tiainen received funding for six months from the Finnish Cultural Foundation, for a dissertation project that develops theory of democratic education, in January 2024.

Doctoral researcher Hillevi Vyyryläinen received a one-year grant for her dissertation work from Häme Regional Fund of the Finnish Cultural Foundation in May 2024. Vyyryläinen’s PhD research critically investigates the concept of ”nepsy” structuring practices in Finnish public services.

A research group comprising Kristiina Brunila, Marja Peltola, Katariina Mertanen, Birgit Schaffar-Kronqvist, and Helena Candido successfully secured a competitive one-year project funding for the initiative KOETUS – Anticipated and Alternative Futures of Finnish Education from the Finnish Innovation Fund SITRA’s Future Power pilot program. 

Forthcoming PhD examinations

Doctoral Researcher Tuija Kasa will defend her thesis "Unveiling Injustices: Revisiting Human Rights Education's Legal, Political and Moral Ideals in a Nonideal World" on Friday 17 January 2025 at 12.00, in the University’s Main Building, Small Hall (Fabianinkatu 33, 4th floor). Join us to follow Tuija’s important day either on site or by stream: https://video.helsinki.fi/unitube/live-stream.html?room=l71

Publications

Of course, AGORA scholars have also published their research! You can find a list of work published this year by AGORA scholars here: https://researchportal.helsinki.fi/en/organisations/agora-for-the-study-of-social-justice-and-equality-in-education-r/publications/