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Martti Pärssinen

Born February 26, 1956, Kiikka (modern-day Saastamala)

Master of Arts 1984, Licentiate 1985, PhD 1992 (History), University of Turku
Master of Arts 1988 (anthropology), University of Rochester (NY)

Docent in Latin American history 2001, University of Turku
Professor of Latin American Studies 1999–, University of Helsinki
Director of the Finnish Institute in Madrid 1996–99, 2007–12
Researcher 1989–92, 1995–96, Department of History, University of Turku
Academy research fellow 1988–89, 1992–95, Academy of Finland
Archaeological research assistant 1985, University of Turku
Visiting professor:
Department of History, Higher University of San Andrés, La Paz (Bolivia) 2002–04
The Simon Bolivar Chair, University of Paris III: Sorbonne Nouvelle 2001
School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences, Paris 1996

Research themes:
The political, economic and religious systems of the Inka state (1400–1532)
Spanish political, economic and church bodies in the colonial era Andes.
Spanish and Portuguese archive sources and chronicles
The Inka’s quipu writing system and military expansion
Cultural development in the pre-Inka period, particularly the so-called Late Intermediate Period (1000–1450) of the Southern Central Andes
Tiwanakau culture (500–1050)
The ancient Amazonian civilisation found in Acre, Brazil 250 BC–1300 AD
Long-term cultural development in the West Amazon in the post-Ice-Age Holocene period
Environmental, geo and climate history in the South American Holocene period
Multi- and interdisciplinary research
The Columbian peace process in the 2000s

Publications, research projects and other academic activity

Photo: Mika Federley
Written by Martti Pärssinen (Kaija Hartikainen, ed.)
Translated by Matthew Billington

My Best Memories at the University of Helsinki

My professorship began in 1999, but, as a minor subject, a firm foundation for it had already been laid under the leadership of Professor Timo Riiho. Upon my arrival at the University of Helsinki from my post at the Finnish Institute in Madrid (Ibero-American Institute of Finland in Madrid), my first task was to raise the status of the discipline to that of a major subject.

This was no simple matter, as the University had no multidisciplinary subjects at that stage. Latin American Studies does not compete with traditional disciplines; rather, its task is to combine the methods of a minimum two disciplines in the context of Latin America. In 2000, despite the difficulties, Professor Markku Henriksson and I succeeded in making North American Studies and Latin American Studies subjects that lead to an official degree, which was one of my most important aims. Today, Latin American Studies forms a line of study in multidisciplinary regional and cultural studies.

Another aim of similar import is to bring degree programmes more in line with the needs of working life. For this reason in I was involved in establishing the Faculty of Arts’ multidisciplinary Master’s Degree Programme in Intercultural Encounters in 2001, which was the Faculty’s very first master’s programme. Many of my colleagues were sceptical about the justifications for programme that referred to working life, but it still exists to this day as a popular international English language master’s programme.

Photo: Heli Pärssinen

 

By

Martti Pärssinen

Born February 26, 1956, Kiikka (modern-day Saastamala)

Master of Arts 1984, Licentiate 1985, PhD 1992 (History), University of Turku
Master of Arts 1988 (anthropology), University of Rochester (NY)

Docent in Latin American history 2001, University of Turku
Professor of Latin American Studies 1999–, University of Helsinki
Director of the Finnish Institute in Madrid 1996–99, 2007–12
Researcher 1989–92, 1995–96, Department of History, University of Turku
Academy research fellow 1988–89, 1992–95, Academy of Finland
Archaeological research assistant 1985, University of Turku
Visiting professor:
Department of History, Higher University of San Andrés, La Paz (Bolivia) 2002–04
The Simon Bolivar Chair, University of Paris III: Sorbonne Nouvelle 2001
School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences, Paris 1996

Research themes:
The political, economic and religious systems of the Inka state (1400–1532)
Spanish political, economic and church bodies in the colonial era Andes.
Spanish and Portuguese archive sources and chronicles
The Inka’s quipu writing system and military expansion
Cultural development in the pre-Inka period, particularly the so-called Late Intermediate Period (1000–1450) of the Southern Central Andes
Tiwanakau culture (500–1050)
The ancient Amazonian civilisation found in Acre, Brazil 250 BC–1300 AD
Long-term cultural development in the West Amazon in the post-Ice-Age Holocene period
Environmental, geo and climate history in the South American Holocene period
Multi- and interdisciplinary research
The Columbian peace process in the 2000s

Publications, research projects and other academic activity

Photo: Mika Federley
Written by Martti Pärssinen (Kaija Hartikainen, ed.)
Translated by Matthew Billington

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