Työryhmät/Working groups

Lämpimästi tervetuloa Sosiaalipolitiikan päiville! You are warmly welcome to the Social Policy Conference!

Tiedot toteutuvista työryhmistä löydät alta. Myös abstraktikirja on nyt luettavissa työryhmien alla olevasta linkistä.

Working groups information can be found below. Underneath the working groups is a link to the abstract book.

Sosiaalipolitiikan päivien 2024 työryhmät/Working groups of the 2024 Social Policy Conference:

In addition to the above described working groups, there is also a separate one on Friday 25 October:

Working Group “Global crises and the academia”

Acute wars are ongoing in Gaza, Myanmar, Sudan, Ukraine and dozens of other major armed conflicts are occurring in various parts of the globe. Most of these military crises show no clear signs of ending. They have far-reaching impacts on many individuals and communities, including diverse university communities in Finland, causing psychological and physical distress as well as social tensions. Political control, an agitating informational environment, and strict policy responses at the international, national, and university levels further constrain the possibility of conducting university work as usual. In addition to wars, multiple other crises, including political violence, socioeconomic decline, and environmental disasters, severely stress many university community members.

The working group invites members of the University of Eastern Finland community and other academic communities from various disciplines, professional fields, and departments to identify these entanglements and collaboratively develop possible solutions to the existing and emerging risks posed to the community by multiple global crises. The workshop aims to detect the wide-ranging effects of wars and crises, analyse individual and collective responses, and map out best practices and approaches to address them. The expected outcome is to produce recommendations for the University community on how to substantially support those directly and indirectly affected by wars and crises and mediate potential tensions between diversely positioned individuals and groups within the community. Thus, the workshop will strengthen the solidarity and mutual support of colleagues and fellows at the University of Eastern Finland in the face of advancing polycrisis.

The working group is convened by Antero Puhakka (antero.puhakka@uef.fi) and Vadim Romashov (vadim.romashov@uef.fi) from the Department of Social Sciences at University of Eastern Finland with the support of the Association of Researchers and Teachers in Eastern Finland (ITTE). This workshop builds on the series of similar events organized by peace researchers Anitta Kynsilehto and Vadim Romashov in 2022-2023. The first workshop “Addressing war anxieties in university communities” was held on 3 November 2022 in Tampere as part of the UNIFI and Arene Sustainability and Responsibility Seminar, the second “Addressing impacts of wars and crises within and by academic communities” was held on 17 February 2023 in Helsinki as part of the Development Days conference, and the third “The impact of wars and crises on the Tampere University community” was organized by the Association of Academic Workers at Tampere University (TATTE) on 14 November 2023.

The workshop will be held on Friday, October 25, starting at 8.15 in meeting room M201 and will include a coffee break. No presentations are required for this working group. If you would like to participate, please send a short message (max. 100-150 words) to the conveners explaining why such discussions are important to you by September 30. Please note that the number of participants is limited. The results of the working group will be presented to the public at 10.00 in auditorium M101, and all Social Policy Days participants are invited to attend the discussion.