The Centre for Sociology of Democracy studies democracy in modern societies. Our projects deal with democracy from different perspectives and with different methods.
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Recent News & Blog Posts
In his article, Georg Boldt examines the genealogy of democratic participation.
In their article, Georg Boldt and Veikko Eranti look at a particular channel for youth participation and democracy education,
meant to provide avenue for young people to present their ideas for the development of their
surrounding society.
In their article, Tuukka Ylä-Anttila, Veikko Eranti and Anna Kukkonen examine media debates on climate change in India and the United States.
A mixed-methods study by Tuukka Ylä-Anttila, Veikko Eranti and Sam Hardwick investigates politics on Overboard, a Finnish imageboard.
In his article, Tuukka Ylä-Anttila assesses the significance of social media for the Finns Party and the related anti-immigration movement from 2007 to the present day, in light of theories on the relationship of populism and social media.
The Educação, Sociedade & Culturas journal (ESC – Education, Society and Cultures) has released a call for papers for a special issue to be published in 2022, “Education and Climate Activism: Youth democratic practices and imaginations towards a common world” with guest editors Carla Malafaia (ImagiDem, University of Porto), Maria Fernandes-Jesus (University of Sussex) and Eeva Luhtakallio (ImagiDem, University of Helsinki).
The book is the result of a co-writing process between Karine Clement of ImagiDem and dozens of yellow vests from the roundabout of Saint-Avold, where she has conducted her fieldwork since November 2018.
Demokratia ei ole yksilölaji, vaikka kaikilla äänestäjillä onkin vain yksi ääni. Yhdysvaltain presidentinvaalien tulokseen iso vaikutus oli myös kansalaistoiminnalla, kuten Black Lives Matter -mielenosoituksilla ja vapaaehtoisilla, jotka auttoivat ihmisiä rekisteröitymään äänestäjiksi.
ImagiDem’s PI Professor Eeva Luhtakallio discussed images as tools of political participation and topical environmental activism in Finland in YLE Politiikkaradio podcast.
POSTPONED: Visual Studies Lab Masterclass: How to study the visual in social media?
The planned Masterclass on visual analysis at the University of Helsinki has been postponed.
The event has been postponed. We will update on the new event date as soon as possible.
The Visual Studies Lab, in collaboration with the ImagiDem project, organizes a one-day Masterclass offered to PhD students and early post-docs engaged with or interested in visual analysis and research. The Masterclass is taught by Associate Professor Katrin Tiidenberg (Tallinn University) and Senior Lecturer Leena-Maija Rossi (University of Helsinki). The progamme consists of a lecture on methodologies of social media research by prof. Tiidenberg, and workshops discussing participants’ contributions, led by the two visual culture experts. The final programme depends on the number of participants enrolled.
Provisional programme:
9.15 Welcome to the MasterClass + Visual Studies Lab introductions: Eeva Luhtakallio (University of Helsinki) and Asko Lehmuskallio (Tampere University)
9.45 Keynote: Associate professor Katrin Tiidenberg (Tallinn University): How to study visual social media?
11.30 Discussion and comments
12.00 Lunch
13.00 Workshop 1
14.45 Coffee
15.00 Workshop 2
16.45 Closing discussion
The actions of Extinction Rebellion Finland showcase new visual forms of politicisation
Images play an increasingly large role in social participation. Protests, demands and even entire processes of politicisation may take a purely visual form. In this text, we analyse paired photographs that went viral immediately after the civil disobedience actions of Extinction Rebellion Finland as a form of politicisation. Images are a powerful means of communication – indeed, it is revealing that the social commentary in Finland has revolved intensely around a handful of smartphone snapshots.