Information and its reliability play a crucial role in shaping people’s sense of security and capacity to act in various crises and conflicts, says Tiina Sotkasiira, the University of Eastern Finland’s newly appointed Professor of Social and Public Policy.
Crimea, Ukraine, Brexit – research at the intersection of politics and citizens’ daily lives
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 changed the way Finnish people view the world, and it also challenged some long-held assumptions. As she followed the news coverage of the war, Sotkasiira began thinking about how the conflict would affect Finnish people’s experiences and sense of security.
“A decade or so ago, I was involved in a project led by Professor Olga Davydova-Minguet that examined the media consumption of Russian-speaking residents in Finland following the annexation of Crimea. We found that their perceptions diverged significantly.”
This time around, Sotkasiira is particularly interested in the media consumption and personal experiences of Finnish people. Her latest study explored the associations between war-related information and ordinary people’s sense of security. Interviews were conducted a few months after the war began, involving nearly 30 Finnish participants.
“At the start of the war, many interviewees spent all their spare time scrolling social media or following traditional news outlets. They reported that although their physical safety was not threatened, reading news about the war gnawed on their sense of security.”
Concerns and fears were raised about the nature of information available on military crises. Information was viewed as inherently uncertain, and the warring parties’ desire to frame news in ways favourable to their own interests was recognised. Many identified attempts at information influence and believed Finland was also a target of such efforts.
“Information that was available about the war often felt irrational and conflicted with the belief held in Finland that the era of wars in Europe is over.”
As the war progressed, Finns sought expert knowledge
According to the study, Finns wanted to understand what was happening in Ukraine. Information was sought from the media, experts, non-fiction literature and even fiction.
“People paid attention to the views of researchers because they believed scholars can provide broader, for example, historical context to help make sense of the situation.”
For researchers, this is a positive signal, Sotkasiira notes.
“Most people understand that research-based knowledge and information found in the media, and especially on social media, are fundamentally different in nature. Citizens value individuals in our society who can devote their time to really delving into issues.”
From the perspective of social and public policy, any societal phenomenon becomes interesting when it becomes politicised or a conflict emerges.
Tiina Sotkasiira
Professor of Social and Public Policy
Research at the intersection where politics meets citizens
Sotkasiira’s professorship focuses on borders, mobilities and conflicts. As a researcher, she has always been interested in how major societal events affect the everyday lives of ordinary people, and she is fascinated by the intersection where politics meets citizens. Her previous studies have addressed the impact of Brexit on the lives of Finns living in the UK, and she studied the 2015 refugee crisis from the perspective of rural municipalities that hosted reception centres.
“From the perspective of social and public policy, any societal phenomenon becomes interesting when it becomes politicised or a conflict emerges. Research in our field is largely about identifying these tensions and responding to them.”
In her doctoral dissertation, Sotkasiira examined the nationality policies, everyday racism and identity expectations faced by young adults from the Caucasus region who lived in Russia after the 2004 Beslan school siege.
“When the everyday lives of certain population groups become politicised, they suddenly attract significant public attention and questions about how they should be governed start arising. This is a recurring theme in my research across various societal contexts.”
Civil society organisations play a key role in promoting research impact
Before her academic career, Sotkasiira worked as the Executive Director of the Finnish Branch of Service Civil International. While working on projects for the civil society organisation, she travelled across Russia and former Soviet republics, delivering training on democracy and civic engagement.
“I’ve collaborated extensively with civil society actors and organisations, and that cooperation has provided valuable support for my research projects. I’ve also sought to reciprocate by sharing research findings with the civil society sector, thereby contributing to its development.”
The civil society sector plays a vital role in promoting the societal impact of research.
“Impact requires interaction that is based on mutual interest, respect and dialogue.”
As a scholar of migration, Sotkasiira gets frustrated as the lofty rhetoric around evidence-based policymaking does not always translate into practice.
“Migration and residence permit policies are sectors where research-based knowledge is used very selectively. These sectors are driven by interests other than knowledge-based or research-informed perspectives.”
Embodiment is an emerging research trend in social sciences
Following her mother’s diagnosis with a rapidly progressing illness, Sotkasiira became interested in embodiment, and she is also trained in body-oriented work supervision. She has applied these tools, for example, in the supervision of students and doctoral researchers.
“Embodiment is an emerging research trend in social sciences. A great deal of new research has been published on the topic in recent years.”
As a researcher, Sotkasiira is particularly interested in the embodied nature of experiences of discrimination and racism. Moreover, the ways in which power is experienced and expressed through facial expressions and gestures are also of interest from a social science perspective.
“Embodiment plays a role in many situations, for example when people come from different cultural backgrounds. There’s uncertainty about how to interpret the other person’s behaviour and body language, and how this can affect client interactions in services such as integration work.”
Tiina Sotkasiira
- Professor of Social and Public Policy, especially borders, mobilities and conflicts, 1 Sept. 2025–
- Doctor of Social Sciences, 2013, University of Eastern Finland
- Title of Docent (Social and Public Policy), 2019, University of Jyväskylä
Key roles:
- Associate Professor, University of Eastern Finland, 2022–2025
- Senior Researcher, University of Eastern Finland, 2019–2021
- Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Eastern Finland, 2013–2018
- Visiting Researcher, University of Glasgow, 2017, University of Bristol, 2025
