Research Professor
+358 44 416 5374
sofia.laine@youthresearch.fi
Sofia Laine is a Research Professor at the Finnish Youth Research Society, Finland. She has a PhD in Development Studies and has actively worked and published on issues related to (more) global youth research, youth engagement and more recently on the concept of planetary youth research. She is also a Dance Movement Therapist (DMT), a resource for developing artistic and creative embodied techniques for conducting youth research. She is the author and editor of several academic books and anthologies.
Her previous project focused on young people’s leisure activities in public and semi-public spaces during the Covid-19 pandemic, and she is currently continuing this theme by studying youth, control and crime in public spaces. In this theme, her latest co-authored article with Eila Kauppinen and Aino Tormulainen is on Encountering Young People in Detached Youth Work in Finland in Child and Youth Services journal (please ask for the full article if you do not have access).
Her ongoing project focuses on planetary youth research. Planetary youth research is a new framework proposal in youth research (Laine 2023) that tries to support youth research to turn towards a ‘global ethic’: 1) how to achieve sustainable living conditions for future generations, if possible together with young people (including e.g. rising generational theme of not having children due to climate crisis); 2) decolonial youth research, global south youth research and the SDGs in relation to the wellbeing of young people (including e.g. themes related to climate- and pollution-driven migration); 3) analysing young people’s relationships with nature and planetary wellbeing (e.g. Elo et. al. 2023); and 4) finding more sustainable and ethical ways to balance action, emotion and rest in the more-than-human world (e.g. Pihkala 2023). See more from the project web page.
ORCHID:Sofia Laine (0000-0003-4153-8344) – ORCID
ResearchGate: (16) Sofia Laine (researchgate.net)
A Peer-reviewed scientific articles in English
Kauppinen, Eila & Tormulainen, Aino & Laine, Sofia (2024) Encountering young people in detached youth work in Finland. Child & Youth Services. https://doi.org/10.1080/0145935X.2024.2336902
Laine, Sofia (2023) New Framework Proposal: Planetary Youth Research. Youth and Globalization 5(1), 15-43. https://doi.org/10.1163/25895745-bja10027, Special Issue “Re-envisioning youth in times of global risks”.
Laine, Sofia & Kangas, Ilka (2002) Aivokemiallisista häiriöistä elämänhallinnan vaikeuteen – Hyväosaisten nuorten aikuisten näkemyksiä omasta ja ikäryhmänsä pahoinvoinnista (From the brain chemical disturbances to the life-management difficulties – Fortunate young adults’ opinions about their and their age group’s mental disorders). Nuorisotutkimus (Finnish Journal of Youth Research) 20(3), 18–31.
Salmi-Niklander, Kirsti & Savolainen, Ulla & Taavetti, Riikka & Laine, Sofia & Salmesvuori, Päivi (2022) Approaching localized politics of European memories. In Kirsti Salmi-Niklander & Sofia Laine & Päivi Salmesvuori & Ulla Savolainen & Riikka Taavetti (eds.) Friction, Fragmentation, and Diversity: Localized Politics of European Memories. Leiden: Amsterdam University Press, 9-23. (open access)
Laine, Sofia & Myllylä, Martta (2019) Political chronotopes of youth engagmenet: Towards more inclusive and enabling environments. In Elena Sánchez-Montijano & José Sánches García (eds.) Youth at the Margins. Perspectives on Arab Mediterranean Youth. London: Routledge, 162-180.
Henri Onodera, Bruno Lefort, Sofia Laine and Karim Maïche (2018) Dynamics of engagement among youth in Arab Mediterranean countries. The Journal of North African Studies (FNAS). Article ID: FNAS 1547197 (open access)
Laine, Sofia & Suurpää, Leena & Ltifi, Afifa (2018) Respectful resistance: Young musicians and the unfinished revolution in Tunisia. In Oinas, Elina & Onodera, Henri & Suurpää, Leena (eds) What politics? Youth and political engagement in Africa. Leiden & Boston: Brill, 58-74. (open access)
Mai, Yên & Laine, Sofia (2016) Blogging Activism of Young Educated and Global Women in Tunisia and Vietnam: a two-case study. PArticipation and Conflict Journal PACO 9(3): 893-917. Special Issue: ‘Youth and the Reinvention of Politics’. DOI: 10.1285/i20356609v9i3p893 (open access)
B Non-refereed scientific articles in English
Laine, Sofia & Salmi-Niklander, Kirsti (2017) Volunteer work among asylum seekers and refugees in Finland from 2015 to 2017. Gränsløs, nr 8: Flykt, 90-100. (open access)
C Scientific books in English
Salmi-Niklander, Kirsti & Laine, Sofia & Salmesvuori, Päivi & Savolainen, Ulla & Taavetti, Riikka (eds) (2022) Friction, Fragmentation, and Diversity: Localized Politics of European Memories. Leiden: Amsterdam University Press. (peer-reviewed)
Pisani, Maria & Basarab, Tanya & Giovanni Bello, Barbara & Laine, Sofia (eds.) (2018) Between insecurity and hope: Reflections on youth work with young refugees. Youth Partnership, Youth Knowledge #24. Strasbourg: Council of Europe Publishing. (open access)
Tommi Hoikkala & Pekka Hakkarainen & Sofia Laine (eds.) (2005) Beyond Health Literacy – Youth Cultures, Prevention and Policy. Finnish Youth Research Network/Finnish Youth Research Society, publications 52 & Stakes. (peer-reviewed)
D Publications intended for professional communities
Maïche, Karim & Onodera, Henri & Lefort, Bruno & Laine, Sofia & Myllylä, Martta (2017) SAHWA Policy Report: Breaking the triple marginalisation of youth? Mapping the future prospects of youth inclusion in Arab Mediterranean countries. 9.2.2017. http://sahwa.eu/OUTPUTS/SAHWA-Policy-Reports/Policy-Report-on-youth-marginalisation-in-the-AMCs (16.8.2017) (open access)
Laine, Sofia & Lefort, Bruno & Onodera, Henri & Maïche, Karim & Myllylä, Martta (2016) SAHWA Policy Report: Towards more inclusive youth engagement in Arab-Mediterranean countries. 1.12.2016. http://www.sahwa.eu/OUTPUTS/Publications/SAHWA-Policy-Report-on-youth-engagement-in-Arab-Mediterranean-countries (9.12.2016) (open access)
Sánchez García, Jose & Feixa, Carles & Laine, Sofia (2014) Contemporary Youth research in Arab Mediterranean Countries: mixing qualitative and quantitative methodologies. SAHWA Concept Paper 01-2014. http://sahwa.eu/ (29.4.2020) (open access)
Gretschel, Anu & Kiilakoski, Tomi & Laine, Sofia & Levamo, Tiina-Maria & Mäntylä, Niina & Pleyers, Geoffrey & Raisio, Harri (2014) Youth Participation Good Practices in Different Forms of Regional and Local Democracy. Background paper for the Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities and the EU-CoE Youth Partnership. Helsinki: Finnish Youth Research Network/Finnish Youth Research Society, electronic publications 69. http://nuorisotutkimus.fi/julkaisuja/youthparticipation_goodpractices.pdf (18.8.2015) (open access)
E Publications intended for the general public in English
Myllyntaus, Oona & Benyamina, Yahia & Honkatukia, Päivi & Chenier, Valentin & Laine, Sofia & Haikkola, Lotta (2023) Youth inclusion: What works? Helsinki: The Finnish Youth Research Society, blogs. https://www.nuorisotutkimusseura.fi/ajankohtaista/uutiset/2914-youth-inclusion-what-works (18.8.2023) (open access)
F Public artistic and design activities in English
Loitsu (A Spell) 16.7.2021 and 17.7.2021. A Spell is performance, consisting of six miniature works, which twines its way across the estate of Tuomarinkylän kartano, Helsinki, Finland. Duration 90 minutes. Main choreographer for one out of six miniature works. https://www.zodiak.fi/en/programme/spel l (29.9.2021). Zodiak — Centre for New Dance, audience workshop course.
Laine, Sofia & Hartman, Maaria (2019) Young people testing art. A study on the young people’s experiences
of the Art Testers initiative. Invited key-note lecture in the International Children’s Culture Forum 1.10.2019, Tampere Comedy Theatre, Tampere, Finland, presented in the format of theatre clownery: https://nuorisotutkimus.fi/hankkeet/taidetestaajat (29.9.2021). Duet choreography and performance.
Rauhantanssi (Planetary Dance) 3.6.2018. Pohjaveden puisto, Helsinki, Finland. Global events: https://planetarydance.org/sponsorship/ (29.9.2021). Main organizer.
Rauhantanssi (Planetary Dance) 9.6.2013. Alppipuisto, Helsinki, Finland. Historic events: https://planetarydance.org/historic-events/ (29.9.2021). Main organizer.
Rauhantanssi (Planetary Dance) 26.5.2012. Kumpulan kasvitieteellinen puutarha, Helsinki, Finland. Historic events: https://planetarydance.org/historic-events/ (29.9.2021). Main organizer.
Viimeinen tanssi ennen maailmanloppua (Last dance before the end of the world) (fall 2011) Zodiak — Centre for New Dance, audience workshop course for non-professional dancers where nine people made their own choreographies. Laine’s choreography was strongly linked to her PhD themes, and she also participated with it in the Dance your PhD competition, organized by Science magazine: https://vimeo.com/49609602 (29.9.2021)
G Theses
Laine, Sofia (2012) Young Actors in Transnational Agoras. Multi-Sited Ethnography of Cosmopolitan Micropolitical Orientations. Helsinki: The Finnish Youth Research Network / The Finnish Youth Research Society, publications 121. Doctoral dissertation (article), Development Studies, Department of Politics and Economics, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Helsinki. https://helda.helsinki.fi/bitstream/handle/10138/29314/youngact.pdf (23.9.2015)
Adjunct Professor (title of docent), University of Tampere, Youth Studies (January 2017)
Doc. Soc. Sci., University of Helsinki, Department of Politics and Economics,
Major: Development Studies, Minor: World Politics (10.4.2012, University of Helsinki)
M. Soc. Sci., University of Helsinki, Department of Sociology
Major: Sociology, Minor: Social Psychology (19.5.2004, University of Helsinki)
B.A. Soc. Sci., University of Helsinki, Department of Development Studies
Major: Development Studies, Minor: Social Psychology (19.12.2001, University of Helsinki)
Matriculation Examination, Sibelius Upper Secondary School, 31.5.1997, Helsinki
Other education and training, qualifications and skills
Specialist Vocational Qualification in Leadership and Business Management, Competence area of Leadership and Business Management, 5.3.2020, Helsinki
Dance-movement therapist, Eino Roiha Institute, 19.12.2014, Jyväskylä
Science journalist, Suomen Tiedetoimittajien liitto ry., The Finnish Association of Science Editors and Journalists (FASEJ), 2010-
- Member: Consultative Committee for Child and Family Policy, Central Union for Child Welfare, Finland.