Mirkka Lappalainen
Humanist of the day

Mirkka Lappalainen

Mirkka Lappalainen, university lecturer and docent, is a historian who takes the long view on Sweden’s hegemonic status. Her works have received numerous prizes and praise for their literary merit. In her university teaching Lappalainen guides students in their investigation of the materials and mysteries of the past.

Mirkka Lappalainen

Mirkka Marjaana Lappalainen
26.11.1975, Helsinki

MA 1998, MLic. 2001 and PhD 2005 (Finnish and Nordic History), University of Helsinki

University Lecturer in Finnish and Nordic History 2014-, researcher 2009–2014 and assistant 2001–2009, University of Helsinki

Publications, research projects and other academic activities

Research areas: history of the Swedish empire, history of the nobility and noble families, history of state formation, personal, legal and criminal history; the Little Ice Age and famines.

Photo: Laura Malmivaara (Kustannusosakeyhtiö Siltala)
Author: Riitta-Ilona Hurmerinta
Translated by John Calton

Mirkka Lappalainen, PhD, has been granted many awards for her research on the historical period of Swedish rule over Finland. Her most recent work, Pohjolan Leijona Kustaa II Aadolf ja Suomi 1611–1632 (‘The Lion of the North – Gustav II Adolf and Finland 1611–1632’) received the Finlandia prize for nonfiction in 2014 and the Vuoden Tiedekirja (‘Science Book of the Year’) award in January 2015. Although her research has been groundbreaking, she became a historian by chance.

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Docent Mirkka Lappalainen, who focuses on the history of Sweden and Finland in the 17th century, won the Tieto-Finlandia award for her book Pohjolan Leijona – Kustaa II Aadolf ja Suomi 1611-1632 ( ‘The Lion of the North – Gustav II Adolf and Finland 1611-1632’ (Siltala)) in 2014. The…

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