University as a way of life

I have already spent over thirty years at the University of Helsinki, as a student, researcher, and teacher, so it is impossible for me to name a single best memory. Besides, during this time my whole life has been tied up with the University in one way or another, with never a clear dividing line between work and leisure. With a bit of exaggeration you could say a college teacher in the humanities is never on holiday, since for a cultural studies scholar everything relates to everything else. The only time I've thought about my hours has been when I've tried to fit the infamous annual total of 1,600 hours into our official annual work plan forms.

There have been countless fine moments, but at the 127th Annual Meeting of the American Historical Association in New Orleans in January 2013 many developments that had begun at the University of Helsinki came together in a way I found especially memorable.

My first teacher at the University of Helsinki, Alfred Crosby, since appointed Member of the Academy of Finland, had fallen ill and asked me to accept the AHA's prestigious Award for Scholarly Distinction on his behalf. Thus, I had the honour of reading his speech and delivering the greetings of both the Academy of Finland and the University of Helsinki Faculty of Arts before a prestigious American audience. And all this in my favourite American city, whose history and culture I too have researched. This highest honour of the AHA was also awarded to my dissertation opponent and academic idol Don Worster, with a third major influence during my early career, Bill Cronon, presiding. When the conference attendees also included John McNeill, Elliott Gorn, J. Donald Hughes, Sam Truett, and Pekka Hämäläinen, all of whom have in one way or another been involved in both the University of Helsinki and my own career, the feeling of academic community was uncommonly powerful, at least for myself. In such good company the evening entertainment was also especially enjoyable, in this city famous for its music and cuisine. Laissez les bons temps rouler!

By Written by Mikko Saikku, translated by Tero Heikkinen, revised by Matthew Billington

Mikko Saikku

Born February 13, 1963, Helsinki

Bachelor of Arts 1989 (general history), Master of Arts 1992, Licentiate 1993, PhD 2001 (North American Studies), University of Helsinki
Docent in American History 2007, University of Helsinki
Docent in environmental history 2002, University of Tampere

Professor of American Studies 2015–, University of Helsinki
Research fellow 2014–16, Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies
Professor of general history 2011–13, University of Helsinki
Professor of American Studies 2006, University of Tampere
Professor of American Studies 2002–05, University of Helsinki
Lecturer in North American Studies, 2001–15, University of Helsinki
Research associate in non-European history 1996–2001, University of Helsinki

Research interests: environmental changes caused by human activity in the Southern United States, particularly in the lower reaches of the Mississippi; the culture of the Southern United States, the relationship to nature of Finnish immigrants in North America, the biology of extinction, environmental history and American Studies research methods, the history of nature conservation, the use of wilderness symbolism in the construction of national identity in North America and the Nordic countries.

Publications

Photo: Veikko Somerpuro
Written by Mikko Saikku (Tiia Niemelä, ed.)
Translated by Matthew Billington