Sessions

Chair: Gintare Kudzmaite, Tampere University 

Co-chairs: Kirsi Pauliina Kallio, Tampere University; Aura Lounasmaa, Tampere University   

Session language: English 

The so-called 2015 ‘European refugee crisis’ resulted in a collapse of an already poorly working EU migration system. Since then, the European institutions have been finetuning migration policies. One of these initiatives is the New Pact of 2020, for which some political agreement was reached in June 2023.   

On the surface, the new European migration policies seem to gradually normalize migration into the EU. However, a deeper policy analysis reveals that a strengthened focus on inner solidarity and security, strict migrant selection procedures and border externalization come at the cost of people on the move. For example, in Finland the new government program aims to hinder humanitarian migration to the country, and to cut development aid, which together clearly weaken the country’s humanitarian responsibility.  

It appears that some of the EU’s actions and rhetoric related to migration deepen other complex crises. The recent 2023 EU-Tunisia agreement illustrates how EU’s repeating attempts to employ non-EU countries as buffer zones (in)directly assist in creating harsh consequences for (selected) migrants, who are perishing or suffering unlivable conditions behind the closed Tunisian border as we speak.   

This session invites papers focusing on how inward-looking views and self-soothing actions of the (supra-)national players in Europe and beyond impact complex crises connected to human mobility. We welcome contributions related but not limited to questions:  

• While refugees are said to have contributed to ‘causing’ a European crisis, what crises affecting refugees and migrants do the EU’s (or other (supra)national authorities’) (in)actions cultivate, and how?  
• How do EU migration policies frame local and national policy agendas, and vice-versa?  

• How do (supra-)national players (politically, strategically, rhetorically) navigate between different levels of global/local security concerns, including migration, war, inward criminality, global health and environmental crises, etc.?   
• What worldwide crises are left unattended whilst overly focusing on security debates?  
• How does policy rhetoric on human mobility impact public views, mass media reports and school curricula? How can these confront rigid policy decisions?  
• What are the consequences of the rising right-wing politics for human mobility amid worldwide and local crises? 

Chair: Carolin Klonner, University of Turku 

Co-chairs: Nora Fagerholm, University of Turku; Salla Eilola, University of Turku   

Session language: English 

3D is everywhere: real world experience in computer games and movies among others, and you can even print your own designed objects in 3D printers. 3D methods are also increasingly used in urban and landscape planning. Digital 3D city and building models are widely applied at different scales, especially in the design of buildings and infrastructure. They are typically based on 3D design models or 3D data produced by laser scanning and digital photogrammetry methods. With these technologies, it is possible to present the physical structure of the city in more detail than before in a way aiming to be comparable to the real world. Participants wearing VR (virtual reality) glasses can also “move” inside the model. New technological solutions that enable faster creation of 3D city and environmental models provide an interesting platform for participatory design. With the communicative turn in spatial planning, participatory and collaborative methods are more and more integrated into planning processes in Finland and internationally. However, citizens are often neither familiar with this 3D world nor digital participation and thus, the challenge arises in how to make the virtual 3D world accessible to lay people. How can 3D models be used in an interactive way to help participants to identify and share their experiences to support urban and landscape planning processes? 

There are already many research studies referring to such new techniques in this field as well as to the usability of these methods but there is still a lack of combining the different aspects such as how the user characteristics influence the usability or the level of participation (Eilola et al. 2023). Chassin et al. (2022) depict that the user characteristics, the interactivity level and the display type influence the usability and the users’ understanding of the visualisation. 

We invite theoretical or empirical perspectives on the research, development or application of digital 3D technologies in participatory urban and landscape planning. We welcome multidisciplinary representatives of different disciplines as well as practical actors such as urban planners.

Chair: Anssi Huoponen, Itä-Suomen yliopisto/ University of Eastern Finland 

Co-chairs: Sanna Mäki, Turun yliopisto/ University of Turku; Minna Tanskanen, Itä-Suomen yliopisto/ University of Eastern Finland 

Session language: Suomeksi & English 

Millainen nykymaantieteen rooli on ympäristökasvatuksen saralla? Kuinka maantiede kasvattaa aktiivisia ja ympäristöstään huolehtia kansalaisia? Kuinka edistämme arvokasvatusta? Miten meidän pitää kouluttaa tulevia aineenopettajia, jotta heillä olisi paras mahdollinen ymmärrys lasten ja nuorten elämismaailmoista ja parhaat mahdolliset eväät toimia ympäristö- ja arvokasvattajina?  

Kutsumme tähän sessioon puheenvuoroja laajalti maantieteen ja kasvatuksen rajapinnalta. Mikäli kiinnostuksen kohteesi on esimerkiksi ympäristökasvatuksessa, teet tutkimusta maantieteen koulutuksesta perusasteella, lukiossa tai yliopistotasolla tai kehität opetus- ja oppimismenetelmiä eri koulutustasoilla, tämä sessio kutsuu sinua kertomaan havainnoistasi muillekin.  

 _ _ _ _ _ 

What is the role of current geography in the field of environmental education? How does geography cultivate active citizens who care for their environment? How do we promote values education? How should we educate future subject teachers to have the best possible understanding of children’s and young people’s lifeworlds and the best possible tools to act as educators in environmental and values education?  

We invite contributions to this session from the intersection of geography and education. If your area of interest lies, for example, in environmental education, researching geography education at the primary, secondary, or university levels, or developing teaching and learning methods across different educational levels, this session invites you to share your observations with others. 

Chair: Maija Halonen, Itä-Suomen yliopisto/ University of Eastern Finland 

Co-chair: Irene Kuhmonen, Jyväskylän yliopisto/ University of Jyväskylä 

Session language: Suomeksi & English 

Crises varying from rapid shocks to slow-burn stresses are becoming a factor strongly shaping the operational environment of businesses, enterprises and entrepreneurs. Tackling the root causes of crises related to environmental and social sustainability requires shaking the old foundations of economic landscape and pushing it towards new structures. While the consequences of various crises and transformation policies are expected to be different, so too are the adaption strategies of businesses facing them. For example, relatively sudden shocks such as covid-pandemic, war in Ukraine or sharp rise in prices caused situations that were new for many enterprises and entrepreneurs, whereas long-term sectoral and locational uncertainties have created slow-burning stresses that might have demanded long lasting tolerance. The sector of business operations, locational factors, connectedness to the surroundings and entrepreneurial human behaviour among other things shape the susceptibility of businesses to crises, as well as their possibilities to adapt, and ultimately transform, in the face of these large-scale pressures. For example, businesses operating in rural and peripheral areas and in the primary production sectors may be especially vulnerable to the combined effect of crises and transformation pressures due to their generally low profit margins and major environmental impacts.   

In this session, we seek to understand, how different crises and transformation pressures impact on different kinds of businesses, enterprises or entrepreneurs, and how do they have adapted or aim to adapt to them. We are especially interested in the interplay of locational, sectoral and enterprise specific factors, but not limited to them. We are also keen to understand why some crises have an enormous shock effect in most of locations but not necessary everywhere even in the same sector, or how specific location may create an environment that either favours or harnesses the adaption process to a certain crisis. Locational factors may refer any type of differences like urban–rural, centre–periphery, east–west, coastal–inland, and so on. This session invites empirical and theoretical papers on various facets of interrelation between various crises and transformations, specific locations and enterprises, and different types of adaptation processes. 

Chair: Riikka Puhakka, Helsingin yliopisto/ University of Helsinki 

Co-chairs: Kati Pitkänen, Suomen ympäristökeskus/ Finnish Environment Institute; Nora Fagerholm, Turun yliopisto/ University of Turku 

Session language: Suomeksi & English 

As the society has become more urban and multi-cultural, ways of using, experiencing, and perceiving nature are increasingly diversified. These changes are not always recognized in nature discourses and how natural environments and green spaces are managed and planned. Decreased possibilities for everyday connection with nature raise concern over the accessibility of green spaces and alienation from nature especially among younger generations. As outdoor recreation has become crucial in providing nature contacts in the urbanized society, natural environments are often valued for the aesthetic and recreational experiences they afford. These developments raise the need to rethink the human-nature relationships.  

During the COVID-19 pandemic, visitor numbers increased both in urban green spaces and in more remote natural environments. Many city dwellers escaped to rural second homes to spend time in nature, and especially young people found new nature-based hobbies. Nature contacts are increasingly recognized as positively contributing not only to our psychological, social, and physical health and well-being but also to environmental responsibility. Nature-based recreation can thus be seen as one possible solution to promote health and well-being, social integration, and raise interest in caring for the environment. Increased visitor numbers may also lead to growing use pressure, changing characteristics of the visitors, and conflicting interests on land use. Therefore, sustainable use of nature, including nature-based tourism and recreation, necessitate the consideration of diverse uses, experiences, knowledge, and values related to nature.   

This session invites papers that discuss human-nature relationships and the multiple ways of experiencing, sensing, and knowing nature in the urbanized society.

Chair: Miguel Villoslada, Itä-Suomen yliopisto/ University of Eastern Finland 

Co-chair: Topi Tanhuanpää, Itä-suomen yliopisto/ University of Eastern Finland 

Session language: Suomeksi & English 

Biodiversity is currently facing unprecedented threats and challenges worldwide. Simultaneously, several national and trans-national initiatives, such as the Biodiversity Strategy 2030, have set ambitious goals to halt the loss of biodiversity and improve the state of ecosystems inside and outside protected areas. However, the effective implementation of these targets calls for coherent monitoring strategies.  

Simultaneously, the field of remote sensing currently provides a plethora of tools and methods able to encompass the multiple temporal, spatial, and spectral scales that characterize the dynamics of ecosystem change and biodiversity loss. However, despite the large body of literature on sensors, methods, and algorithms, the systematic operational use of these tools is still limited.  

In this session, we want to elaborate on whether and how remote sensing tools and techniques can help monitor ecosystem condition and halt biodiversity loss, and what may be the limiting factors in the uptake of these approaches. We welcome practical case-studies on the use of remote sensing for ecosystem condition monitoring. We are also interested in examples presenting the innovative use of satellite, airborne and drone-based tools for biodiversity conservation.   

At the end of the session, both presenters and public will have an opportunity to participate in an open discussion. 

Chair: Heli Kurikka, Tampereen yliopisto/ Tampere University  

Co-chairs: Jari Kolehmainen, Tampereen yliopisto/ Tampere University; Markku Sotarauta, Tampereen yliopisto/ Tampere University 

Session language: Suomeksi & English 

Työryhmässä tarkastellaan alueiden uudistumisen dynamiikkaa kriisien ja haasteiden keskellä uhkien ja mahdollisuuksien näkökulmista. Globaalit kriisit ja ongelmat kohtaavat rakenteiltaan ja toimijuudeltaan erilaiset alueet eri tavoin. Samalla maan sisäiset rakenteelliset muutokset (esim. demografiset muutokset) haastavat tai vahvistavat alueesta riippuen niiden kestokykyä ja elinvoimaa. Tarvitaan tutkittua tietoa alueiden eriytyvistä kehityskuluista ja niiden syistä ja seurauksista. Samalla kaivataan innovatiivisia lähestymistapoja, politiikkoja ja käytäntöjä, jotka voivat edistää aluetalouksien joustavuutta, kestävyyttä ja kasvua. Vaikeina ajanjaksoina uudistumisen kapasiteetti nousee arvokkaaksi voimavaraksi. Kriiseissä voi piillä myös mahdollisuus uusiin avauksiin. Toivomme esityksiä mm. seuraavista teemoista:  

• Alueelliseen uudistumisen kehittämispolitiikat ja strategiat
• Toimijuus ja aluetalouden rakenteiden uudistumisen
• Innovaatiot, yritykset, innovaatiojärjestelmät- ja ekosysteemit alueiden uudistumisessa
• Alueellinen taloudellinen resilienssi ja alueellisten erojen tutkimus
• Alueiden uudistumisen institutionaaliset puitteet
• Alueiden kehityksen polkuriippuvuus ja sen epäjatkuvuudet
• Kestävä kehitys, vihreä siirtymä ja uudet teknologiat
• Muuttoliike ja kansainvälisyys alueellisen muutoksen ja uudistumisen dynamiikassa
• Korkeakoulujärjestelmä uudistumisen lähteenä
• Supistumisen ja sopeutumisen maantiede
• Viimeaikaisten kriisien kokemukset ja vaikutukset alueilla

 _ _ _ _ _

This working group examines the dynamics of regional renewal in the times of crises and challenges, from the perspectives of threats and opportunities. Global crises and problems face regions with different structures and agency in different ways. Also, structural changes within a country (e.g. demographic changes) challenge or strengthen their resilience and vitality, depending on the region. There is a need for research-based information on diverging regional trends and their causes and consequences. Therefore, innovative approaches, policies and practices that can contribute to resilience, sustainability and growth of regional economies are needed. In difficult periods, the capacity for renewal becomes a valuable resource. Crises may also have the potential for new openings. We welcome proposals on the following themes, among others:  

• Development policies and strategies related to regional renewal 
• Agency and structural renewal of regional economies
• Innovations, enterprises, innovation systems and ecosystems in regional renewal
• Regional economic resilience and research on regional disparities
• Institutional framework for regional renewal
• Path dependency of regional development and its discontinuities
• Sustainable development, green transition and new technologies
• Migration and internationality in the dynamics of regional change and renewal
• The higher education system as a source of renewal
• Geography of shrinking and adaptation
• Lessons learned from recent crises in the regions

Chair: Elina Kasvi, Turun yliopisto/ University of Turku 

Co-chair: Petteri Alho, Turun yliopisto/ University of Turku   

Session language: English 

Catchments are entities consisting of the headwaters, river channel network, terrain areas, reservoirs and lakes, and estuaries and floodplains. Catchment processes encompass thus complex interactions between hydrological and climatological factors, topographical and geomorphological characteristics, and ecosystems and human activities. Rivers and tributaries act as links within the system transporting the water, dissolved material and sediments from the catchment terrain areas to the receiving waters. The quality and quantity of freshwaters, as well as the condition of our seas, are highly dependent on catchment processes and activities. 

Human activities on the catchment, such as land use practices, channel modification or regulation of water are challenging the catchments carrying capacity by, for example, decaying the hydromorphological and ecological status of rivers, and increasing the eutrophication in receiving waters, while climate extremes are intervening the system in unpredictable ways. 

Therefore, research on catchment processes from diverse points of view, is essential for decision making and sustainable water management that impact communities, livelihoods, industries, and economic development tied to water resources. 

In this session, we welcome a wide array of research topics related to catchment processes and their interactions, such as 

• hydrological and hydraulic processes and modelling 
• land use and anthropogenic activities
• integrated water resources management and policies 
• nature-based solutions 
• climate and hydrological variability 
• emerging technologies and data-driven approaches 
• catchment restoration
• ecohydrology and ecosystem services 
• bio- and geodiversity 
• geomorphology and sediment dynamics 
• nutrient cycling 
• pollutants and eutrophication
• ground water hydrology 

Contributions related to methodological research are also warmly welcome! 

Chair: Olli Lehtonen, Itä-Suomen yliopisto/ University of Eastern Finland 

Session language: Suomeksi & English 

Large parts of the global population are faced with the effects of the polycrisis (Adam Tooze), the current historical situation resulting from intersecting and mutually reinforcing crises including, among others, the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, escalating climate change, deteriorating geopolitical stability following the Russian attack on Ukraine as well as threatening inflation. These developments and phenomena affect rural areas considerably, and thus, there is a need for better understanding of the consequences of polycrises for rural life. 

For this session, we invite theoretical contributions as well as empirical work situated within the broad framework of rural geography to collectively work toward such an enhanced understanding about the rural development and future in times of polycrisis. The following is a list of possible themes for the session presentations, although any submission that is related to the main topic is welcomed: 

• What are the impacts of current crises on rural development (e.g. infrastructures, real estate investments, housing markets, tourism, multi-local living)? 
• Urban-rural connections?
• Aging and structural changes in rural services? 
• What does the polycrisis mean for socio-economic and demographic processes (e.g. urban-rural migration; gender issues, new emerging peripheries or areas of left behind)? 
• What is the outlook for a socio-ecological rural transformation (e.g. impact of the crises on energy transition; self-sufficiency or vulnerability to energy and transport poverty)? 
• What are the alternative visions of future rural development and what factors are relevant for them? 
• What kind of new datasets and novel methods can be used to understand rural development? 

The session aims to identify the state-of-the-art in rural geography research and to strengthen networks of interest in this area. 

Chair: Petri Kahila, Itä-Suomen yliopisto/ University of Eastern Finland 

Co-chair: Juha Halme, Itä-Suomen yliopisto/ University of Eastern Finland 

Session language: Suomeksi & English 

Kestävyysmurros vaatii kokonaisvaltaista muutosta asenteissa ja arvoissa, joka läpäisee yhteiskunnan sektorit, hallinnan rakenteet sekä tiedon tuottamisen ja päätöksenteon tavat. Yhteiskunnallisilla ohjauskeinoilla, kuten poliittisella ja hallinnollisella sääntelyllä on merkittävä rooli kestävyysmurroksen toteuttamisessa ja siihen sopeutumisessa.   

Työryhmässä tarkastellaan kestävyysmurroksen hallinnan keskeisiä näkökohtia ja ulottuvuuksia.. Tarkastelemme kestävyysmurroksen strategioita, niiden käytännön toteutusta ja vaikutuksia sekä pyrimme ymmärtämään, miten erilaiset kestävyysmurroksen hallintatavat voivat ohjata meitä kohti kestävää tulevaisuutta. Työryhmän tavoitteena on syventää ymmärrystämme kestävyysmurroksesta sekä luoda pohjaa monimuotoisille lähestymistavoille ja tehokkaille strategioille sen hallinnassa.   

Työryhmän teemat heijastavat kestävyysmurroksen laaja-alaista luonnetta. Käsittelemme aluekehityksen strategioita, aloitteita ja politiikoita, jotka edistävät kestävyysmurrosta, ja keskitymme myös tutkimuksen metodologioihin ja indikaattoreihin, jotka mahdollistavat kestävyyden edistymisen seurannan. Lisäksi tarkastelemme maaseutuvaikutusten arvioinnin roolia, maaseudun tulevaisuuden skenaarioita, siirtymäpolkuja, älykästä sopeutumista ja monitasoista hallintoa kestävyysmurroksen kontekstissa.  

Tarkoituksenamme on luoda syvällistä keskustelua kestävyysmurroksen haasteista ja mahdollisuuksista. Toivomme työryhmään esittelyjä tutkimuksista, esimerkkejä ja teoreettisia pohdintoja, jotka innoittavat etsimään uusia näkökulmia ja ratkaisuja. Toivomme myös, että työryhmämme yhdistää eri alojen asiantuntijat ja synnyttää vilkasta keskustelua kestävyysmurroksen hallinnasta.  

Session järjestää RUSTIK-projekti (https://rustik-he.eu/), joka on rahoitettu EU:n Horizon Europe -ohjelmasta. 

_ _ _ _ _ _

The sustainability transition necessitates a comprehensive shift in attitudes and values that permeates across society’s sectors, governance structures, as well as modes of knowledge production and decision-making. Societal instruments, such as political and administrative regulations, play a significant role in implementing and adapting to the sustainability transition.  

The working group examines key aspects and dimensions of sustainability transition governance. We scrutinize sustainability transition strategies, their practical implementation, and impacts, while also seeking to comprehend how diverse governance approaches for sustainability transition can guide us towards a sustainable future. The working group aims to deepen our understanding of the sustainability transition and lay the foundation for diverse approaches and effective strategies in its management.  

The themes of the working group reflect the multifaceted nature of the sustainability transition. We address regional development strategies, initiatives, and policies that promote sustainability transition, and we also focus on research methodologies and indicators enabling the monitoring of sustainability progress. Additionally, we explore the role of rural impact assessments, rural future scenarios, transition pathways, smart adaptation, and multi-level governance within the context of the sustainability transition.  

Our intention is to foster profound discussions about the challenges and opportunities of the sustainability transition. We welcome presentations on research, examples, and theoretical reflections in our working group, all of which inspire the exploration of new perspectives and solutions. We also hope that our working group will bring together experts from various fields and stimulate lively discussions about sustainability transition governance.  

The session is organised by the RUSTIK -project (https://rustik-he.eu/) funded in the Horizon Europe programme of the EU. 

Chair: Tuomo Alhojärvi, Itä-Suomen yliopisto/ University of Eastern Finland 

Co-chair: Johanna Hohenthal, Helsingin yliopisto/ University of Helsinki 

Session Language: Suomeksi & English 

Karttojen historia tilallisina representaatioina ja propositioina on merkittävä osa yhteiskuntien kriisien historiaa. Kartat ovat osaltaan olleet mahdollistamassa kolonialismia ja imperialismia, kansallisvaltioiden raja-aitoja sekä kapitalistisen ekstraktivismin, aitaamisen ja yksityistämisen tendenssejä. Valta toimii kartoittaen. Mutta kartat kertovat myös muutoksesta ja vastarinnasta. Esimerkiksi kriittisen kartografian tutkimusperinne, aktivistinen vastakartoittaminen, alkuperäiskansojen toisinkartoittaminen ja muu yhteiskunnallisesti osallistuva karttatyö ovat saaneet osakseen enenevästi huomiota tutkimuksen ja taiteen kentillä. 

Tämä työpaja kutsuu yhteen Suomessa tehtävää kartografista tutkimusta ja aktivismia painottuen yhtäältä kriittiseen kartografiaan ja paikkatietotutkimukseen sekä toisaalta osallistuvaan, kartoittavaan kanssatutkimukseen. Tila on avoin niin empiirisille tapaustutkimuksille, metodologiselle reflektiolle ja kehitystyölle kuin teoreettiselle pohdinnallekin. Kirjolle mahtuvat niin digitaaliset kuin analogiset paikkatietomenetelmät ja geovisualisoinnin työkalut, kriittinen geomedialukutaito ja paikkatiedon vertaistuotanto, etnografiset ja laskennalliset tutkimusotteet. Työpajassa pohdimme mitä kartat kertovat meille menneistä, nykyisistä ja tulevista sosioekologista kriiseistä, kuinka ne voivat auttaa tulkitsemaan näitä kriisejä ja kenties löytämään ratkaisuja. Miten moninaiset kriisit haastavat kartografian traditioiden perintöä ja edellyttävät uudenlaisia karttoja, niiden käyttöä ja tulkintaa? 

_ _ _ _ _ 

The history of maps as spatial representations and propositions is deeply entangled with the history of societal crises. Maps have contributed to colonialism and imperialism, to the bordering of nation states, and to tendencies of capitalist extractivism, enclosure, and privatization. Power works through mapping. But maps also speak about change and resistance. For example, the research traditions of critical cartography, activist counter-mapping, alternative mapping by indigenous groups, and other forms of participatory mapping have received increasing scholarly, artistic, and public attention. 

This session brings together cartographic research and activism done in Finland, with an emphasis on critical cartography and geographic information research, as well as co-research employing participatory or alternative forms of mapping. The floor is open for empirical case studies, methodological reflection, and other considerations of project development as well as to theoretical studies. Presentations may discuss digital or analogical geospatial methods and geovisualization tools, critical geomedia literacy and peer production of spatial data, as well as ethnographic or computational research approaches. In the workshop, we will consider what maps tell us about the past, current and future socio-ecological crises, how can they help us to interpret these crises and perhaps find solutions. How do various crises challenge the received traditions of cartography and require new types of maps, their use, and interpretation?

Chair: Tuomo Alhojärvi, Itä-Souomen yliopisto/ University of Eastern Finland 

Session language: Suomeksi & Finland 

Omistaminen, omaisuus ja omistamattomuus muovaavat subjektiivisuuksia, sosiaalisia suhteita, toiminnan tiloja ja arjen moninaista talousmaantiedettä. Omistaminen tekee asioita mahdolliseksi mutta samalla sulkee pois toisia mahdollisuuksia tai rajaa niiden alaa. Kuten esimerkiksi oikeus- ja kaupunkimaantieteet osoittavat, omistamisessa ei ole kyse pelkästään juridisesti suojattujen objektien, resurssien ja tilojen hallussapidosta, vaan kirjavasta joukosta käytäntöjä, tulkintoja, representaatioita, kokemuksia, rajanylityksiä ja konflikteja. Kuitenkin myös omistamisen järjestyksiä avartavat käytännöt – esimerkiksi jakamis- ja vertaistalouteen liitetyt – suhteutuvat oikeuden, lain ja territoriaalisuuden maantieteeseen.    

Kutsumme työryhmään esityksiä, jotka tarkastelevat omistamista tilallisena, paikantuneena ja maantieteellisenä ilmiökokonaisuutena. Miltä omistamisen maantiede ja sosiaalinen todellisuus näyttävät ja tuntuvat tässä ajassa? Mistä erilaiset omistamisen muodot ovat peräisin ja millaisiksi ne ovat kehkeytymässä? Miten omistusten kartuttaminen, niistä huolehtiminen, niitä koskeva puhe, niiden käyttö tai niistä luopuminen muokkaavat omistamisen poliittista taloutta ja maantiedettä? Miten erilaiset yksityisen, julkisen ja yhteisomistuksen muodot rakentuvat ja näkyvät tilassa?    

Työryhmään ovat tervetulleita niin empiiriset, teoreettiset, menetelmälliset, epistemologiset kuin tutkimuseettisetkin tarkastelut. Esitykset voivat käsitellä esimerkiksi    

• omistamisen tilallisia järjestyksiä ja suhteita suhteessa oikeudenmukaisuuden kysymyksiin 
• omistusten hallintaa, kiertoa ja kasautumista oikeusmaantieteellisinä ilmiöinä
• tilaan kytkeytyviä omistamisen asiantuntijadiskursseja ja arkisia käsityksiä
• omistamisen finansialisoitumista ja sijoittamista talousmaantieteellisinä ilmiöinä
• omistamisen liikkeitä ja rytmejä 
• omistamisen paikantunutta affektiivisuutta ja estetisoimista 
• omimista, omistajuutta ja osallisuutta demokratiaa koskevina ilmiöinä
• yhteisomistamista, omistamattomuutta ja omistuksenjälkeisyyttä 

_ _ _ _ _ 

Ownership and property influence deeply phenomena like subjectivities, social relations, agencies, and the diverse economies of the everyday. Owning makes things possible, but it simultaneously closes off other possibilities or restricts their range. As demonstrated by subdisciplines like legal geography and urban geography, property and ownership do not only concern legally sanctioned objects, resources, and spaces. They also have to do with a diverse host of practices, interpretations, experiences, representations, border crossings, and conflicts. However, also practices that transform and transgress – for example economies of commoning, sharing, and peer production – must relate to geographies of legality and territoriality. 

This session offers an invitation for presentations examining ownership and property as spatial, positioned, and geographical phenomena. How do the contemporary geographies and social realities of ownership look like and feel? Where do different forms of property come from and how are they evolving in spatial terms? How does the accumulation and care for property as well as speech about, use of, and withdrawal from ownership transform political economies and geographies? How do forms of private, public and common ownership construct, and appear in, space? 

The session welcomes empirical, theoretical, methodological, epistemological, and research-ethical considerations. For example, presentations may discuss 

• spatial orders and relations of property in relation to justice, 
• the management, circulation and accumulation of forms of property and ownership, 
• expert discourses and lay understandings of ownership in/as space, 
• economic geographies of financialized property and investments, 
• movements and rhythms of ownership,
• situated affectivity and aestheticization of ownership, 
• psycho-social ownership and participation in relation to democracy, 
• common properties, the unpropertied, and post-ownership. 

Chair: Erja Kettunen-Matilainen, Turun yliopisto/ University of Turku 

Co-chair: Ayu Pratiwi, Turun yliopisto/ University of Turku 

Session language: Suomeksi & English 

The aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, on-going geopolitical upheavals like the Russian attack war in Ukraine, and the looming risks of climate change have triggered a multidimensional crisis within global food supply chains, significantly impacting the global population. This complex food crisis is intricately linked with issues surrounding nutrition, energy, climate, public health, inequalities, and other persistent challenges, contributing to an overall cost-of-living crisis experienced in many parts of the world. As these crises transcend borders and societal spheres, it is essential that governments work with other societal stakeholders and adopt holistic strategies to ensure resilient and sustainable food systems.   

Acknowledging the unique challenges faced by diverse regions, this session highlights the necessity of systemic, context-specific, and inclusive policy approaches that involve meaningful and principled coordination at the local, national, and global levels. Policy responses need to encompass the whole-of-government and whole-of-society, be country-led, and inclusive of farmers, consumers, civil society, business, and the most-affected (UN General Assembly HLE, 2022). Given the urgency, it is vital to highlight the roles of regional entities, civil society groups, business, consumer organizations, and the research communities, in facilitating the transition towards more resilient, equitable, sustainable, and inclusive food system. This principle serves as guiding force in navigating these challenges.   

In this session, we aim to explore nuanced policy options, responses, and initiatives that governments and other societal stakeholders employ to navigate uncharted terrains in the realm of global food security. We will examine how governments (as policy enablers) as well as consumers and producers (as main societal stakeholders) effectively (or ineffectively) respond, modify, alter, or reconstruct food production systems amidst and in the aftermath of crises. Our focus extends also to the intricate coordination of food policy responses, programmes, and initiatives at local, regional, national, and global levels, unpacking and ensuring efficient and effective steps. Additionally, we will explore case studies from diverse regions that address policy strategies on varying scales and dimensions within the food system. 

Chair: Maija Toivakka, Itä-Suomen yliopisto/ University of Eastern Finland 

Co-chairs: Eric Delmelle Itä-Suomen yliopisto/ University of Eastern Finland & The University of North Carolina at Charlotte; Olli Lehtonen, Itä-Suomen yliopisto/ University of Eastern Finland 

Session language: Suomeksi & English 

There have been several phenomena that can be considered crisis for the health and well-being of people in recent years globally and in Finland. These include, for example, the COVID-19 pandemic during 2020 onwards and the Finnish health and social services reform that transferred the responsibility for the organization of health and social services from municipalities and joint municipal authorities to wellbeing services counties on 1 January 2023. Therefore, there is a great need for geographical information and spatial monitoring in health research. Geospatial data provides cost-efficient information and enables new ways to examine health inequalities and outcomes, accessibility of care and planning the health care services.  

The following is a list of possible subjects for the session, although any submission that is related to the topic is welcomed:  

• COVID-19 disease in Finland
• Spatial inequalities of well-being and health in times of crises
• Health and social services reform in Finland: public health care under threat?  
• Aging and structural change of health services  
• (National) GIS databases of health care  
• Re-conceptualization of access for healthcare – new dataset and models
• Geography and GIS = cost-efficient health care services – true or false?
• New innovations, methods, and datasets of health geography 

The session aims to identify the state-of-the-art in health geography research and to strengthen networks of interest in this area. 

Chair: Päivi Oinas, Turun yliopisto/ University of Turku 

Co-chairs: Torsti Hyyryläinen, Helsingin yliopisto/ University of Helsinki; Maarit Sireni, Itä-Suomen yliopisto/ University of Eastern Finland 

Session language: Suomeksi & English 

Mikä on kylien rooli tulevaisuuden yhteiskunnissa – maaseuduilla ja kaupungeissa? Mikä on paikallisyhteisöjen ja kylien merkitys? Mitkä ovat niiden kehitysedellytykset globaalien ja kansallisten kehitystrendien paineissa; miten niihin vaikuttavat maailmantalouden kehitys, geopoliittiset muutokset, digitalisaatio, hyvinvointivaltion haasteet, alueiden erilaistuminen, mielenterveysongelmat, pandemioiden uhka, ilmastonmuutos, luontokato, kestävyysmuutos? Voiko pieni ja hajautettu olla tulevaisuuden viisasta ja kestävää? Onko turvallinen kyläyhteisö ihmisen paras elinympäristö vai vain vinoutunut muistikuva menneestä? Mikä on rakennetun ympäristön ja paikallisen kulttuuriperinnön merkitys ihmisten hyvinvoinnille? Suomi on harvaanasuttu – jäävätkö kylät täällä heikoimpaan asemaan vai onko Suomi edelläkävijä tulevaisuuden yhteiskuntia ja aluerakenteita visioitaessa, etsittäessä kestävän yhteisöllisen elämän perustaa? 

Pohdimme maantieteen päivillä kylien tutkimuksen uusia haasteita: 

• Kylän olemus ja kylän käsitteellistäminen uuden tutkimuksen valossa 
• Kylät, kyläyhteisöt ja kestävyysmuutos 
• Vahvat ja heikot kylät; kuntien sisäinen polarisaatio 
• Kylien elinvoima ja julkisen vallan toimenpiteet 
• Moniosaavat kyläyhteisöt innovaattoreina
• Kylien kulttuurit ja identiteettien moninaisuus 
• Kylä tunnekokemuksena – ja tunne toiminnan käyttövoimana 
• Kylien monipaikkaiset asukkaat – riippa vai resurssi 
• Kylämiljööt ja kylien rakennetun kulttuuriperinnön säilyminen ja uudistuminen 
• Kylämaisema ja sen arvottaminen
• Kylien tulevaisuusviisaus 
• Monialainen tutkimus kyliä koskevan päätöksenteon tukena 

_ _ _ _ _ 

What is the role of villages in future societies – in both rural areas and in cities? What is the significance of local communities and villages? On what conditions can they develop provided manifold pressures stemming from global and national trends; how are they impacted by the evolving global economy, geopolitical changes, digitalization, the challenges of the welfare society, regional differentiation and disparities, increased mental health problems, the threat of pandemics, climate change, loss of biodiversity, sustainability transformations? Are small and dispersed systems wise and sustainable in the future? Is a safe village community the best living environment for humans – or a distorted remembrance of the past? What is the significance of the built environment and local cultural heritage for human wellbeing? Finland is a sparsely populated country – will villages be most vulnerable or will Finland be a forerunner in envisioning diversity in future societies and spatial structures, in searhing for the foundations of sustainable community life? 

We will dwell on new challenges in contemporary research on villages: 

• The essence and conceptualisations of villages in light of new research 
• Villages, village communities, and sustainability transformations 
• Strong and weak villages; polarization within municipalities 
• Village vitality and public policy 
• Village communities with diverse competences as innovators
• Village cultures and overlapping local identities 
• Village as an emotional experience – and emotion as an engine of action 
• Multilocal village dwellers – benefit or burden 
• Village milieus, preserving and renewing built cultural heritage 
• Village landscape and its valuation
• Future-wise villages 
• Multi-disciplinary research to support decision-making on village development 

Chair: James Scott, University of Eastern Finland 

Co-chair: Matti Fritsch, University of Eastern Finland 

Session language: English 

We are currently witnessing wide-ranging and growing concern about the state and future of democracy in Europe and beyond. Challenges to representative modes of democracy, decreasing citizen trust in public institutions, the rise of populism, uneven digitalization, and numerous anxieties reveal a contemporary Europe that increasingly grapples with socially produced ruptures, frictions and fragmentation. Critical debate regarding European Cohesion has highlighted the salience of “geographies of discontent” (Dijkstra, Poelman and Rodríguez-Pose 2020) and the links between territorial development, identification with representative democracy and a positive sense of place. As is now evident, much of the anti-EU sentiment that has emerged since the 2008 economic crisis has come from regions and places where feelings of neglect and alienation have become politically charged. At the same time, cities and municipalities are the loci of government/governance closest to the citizens and are often seen as arenas and laboratories for the development of more effective and inclusive democratic practices. Participatory budgeting, citizen roundtables/assemblies and innovative digital tools for solving problems in collaboration with citizens are just some examples of this interesting field of local governance action. Such experiments in local democracy are in many ways a form of place-making that reflects both a desire for positive change as well as citizen identification with neighbourhood environments, public spaces, local heritage, etc. However the salience of place as a democratic and development resource in a wider European context can only be understood as a result of critical comparative analysis. Against this background, we welcome theoretical, methodological and practice-oriented papers on the potentials of and challenges to place-based democratic innovation through participation and deliberation that aims at the promotion of inclusion, social agendas and active citizenship and complements established representative modes of local democracy. 

Chair: Moritz Albrect, Itä-suomen yliopisto/ University of Eastern Finland 

Co-chair: Patrik Hämäläinen, Joensuun kaupunkki/ City of Joensuu; Jani Karhu, Itä-suomen yliopisto/ University of Eastern Finland 

Session language: Suomeksi & English 

This session deals with both applied and conceptual aspects of Finnish urban planning and development. As COVID-19’s effects on living preferences and workplace requirements have already disrupted some traditional concepts and practices in urban planning, the war in Ukraine and the accompanying surge in prices, subsequently leading to the current downturn in the construction and property development sector, have introduced new challenges but also potential opportunities to be considered for urban planning in Finland, and naturally, elsewhere. The consequences of these crises and other changes in our societal fabric on urban planning and spatial development have a multiscalar impact as they affect all Finnish settlement structures, from metropolitan areas and mid-size cities to small towns and even smaller settlements/municipalities. Given that the challenges, practices, and opportunities are inherently influenced and reproduced by the socio-spatial characteristics of these localities, these diverse positionalities must shape their responses accordingly. The session delves into these socio-spatial particularities and aims to discuss the resulting practices, challenges, and opportunities that arise from them in these times of crises. 

The session will commence by discussing the historical shifts and future perspectives of urban planning and development in Joensuu. Therefore, we hope to gather additional presentations from other localities that address the issues raised above, allowing for a supplementary insight and discussion on current developments and challenges in Finnish urban planning.