Lieven Ameel has long been interested in how space, and urban space, in particular, is experienced, and how this experience is rendered in literature. This research interest, combined with his fascination for Helsinki, became the subject for his doctoral dissertation, in which he examined experiences of the city in literature written in Finnish during 1890–1940.

After spending five years working on Helsinki in literature for my doctoral dissertation, I felt the need for something quite different. I wanted to take some distance from the city of the imagination, and move into the direction of today’s real and tangible built, urban environment. Instead of looking for the city in literature, I wanted to look for literature in the city: for narrative structures in planning new city districts.

As far back as I can remember, I always have been involved with the University of Helsinki – at least during my Finnish years. First as an exchange student, then as a majoring student, at some point as a teacher, a junior researcher, and currently as a doctoral researcher. I have met many of my best friends directly or indirectly through the University.

Researchers always function within a broader context, both within academia and within society at large. I have been a member of the board of the Finnish Literary Research Society and I am currently member of the board of the Finnish Society for Urban Studies.

Lieven Ameel’s most significant publications: monographs and joint publications

• Lieven Ameel’s blog

• Lieven Ameel on Twitter

• Lieven Ameel’s doctoral dissertation
• ”Väitös: Suomalaisen kaunokirjallisuuden Helsinki-kuvauksista viimein laajaa tutkimustietoa” (’Dissertation: Finally extensive research on depictions of Helsinki in Finnish literature’), Faculty of Arts, University of Helsinki, 14.6.2013 (in Finnish)

• ”Lieven Ameel: Koko kaupunki leikkikenttänä: parkour” (’Lieven Ameel…