My best moments at the University of Helsinki

I have many great memories from the last intensive courses that I taught at the University of Helsinki. We managed to create a wonderfully open atmosphere where the students, on the basis of their own knowledge, were able to jointly construct something new with the topics I introduced. Many students have continued to write me emails and we have continued thoughtfully to discuss the course themes. It always feels like part of the battle is won when I have got students to think critically.

A demonstrably genuine interest in research, and the setting and raising of research frameworks and questions is perhaps also the reason why many students have asked me to be the supervisor of their doctoral dissertations. I am particularly satisfied that they have thrown themselves into their research topics. Naturally, this has also been made possible by sufficient resources, both in terms of time and money.

By Written by Pirjo Kristiina Virtanen (Tomas Sjöblom ed.), translated by Matthew Billington

Pirjo Kristiina Virtanen

Born January 5, 1975

PhD 2007 (Latin American research), docent 2013, University of Helsinki
Master of Arts 2000 (religious studies/philosophy) University of Turku

Researcher 2007–15, Academy of Finland, University of Helsinki
Post graduate 2003-07, University of Helsinki
Project trainee 2002, International Organization for Migration, Lisbon
Administrative assistant 2000-02, Brazilian Embassy in Helsinki

Research Themes:
Indigenous peoples, Brazil, the social philosophies and epistemologies of Amazonian indigenous peoples, post-humanism, indigenous people policy and ethno-history.

Publications, research projects and other academic activity

Awards and achievements
Numerous research grants from, inter alia, the Kone Foundation 2008, Bourse Legs Lelong (CNRS/France) 2008, the Sariola Foundation 2006, University of Helsinki’s SYLFF fund 2006, the Finnish Concordia Fund 2004, the Finnish Cultural Foundation 2003

Photo: Mika Federley
Written by Pirjo Kristiina Virtanen (Tomas Sjöblom, ed.)
Translated by Matthew Billington