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Lieven Ameel

Born 9.11.1978, Hasselt (Belgium)

Doctor of Philosophy 2013 (Finnish Literature, Comparative Literature), University of Helsinki & JLU Giessen (Germany)
Master of Arts 2006 (Finnish Language and Culture), University of Helsinki
Master of Arts 2000 (English and Dutch Philology), University of Ghent

Postdoctoral Researcher 2013–2016, University of Helsinki (funded by the Ella and Georg Ehrnrooth Foundation and the Kone Foundation)
Junior researcher/doctoral student 2008–2013, University of Helsinki, Finnish Literature
Translator and teacher 2001-

Recent publications, projects and other scientific activities
Research interests: City in literature, parkour, narrative planning

Helsinki Literature and the City Network founder and coordinator
Finnish Society for Urban Studies board member

Written by Lieven Ameel (Tomas Sjöblom, ed.)

Bringing Research Results to a Wider Audience

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.

I have also been involved with the Belgian-based Ghent Urban Studies Team. I entertain active contacts with people from the various universities where I have studied: the University of Ghent, in Belgium, the JLU Giessen, in Germany, as well as the Aalto University.

I believe the results of research should be brought to a wider audience, and that researchers have a responsibility to keep the public informed of what they are doing. This can take the form of interviews or in the form of public appearances or popularizing scientific events. The University Think Corner is a great forum to open up research to the public.

Lieven Ameel talking about narratives in planning at the University Think Corner, ’Tiedekulma’, 8.4.2015. Photo: Toni Rönni.​
Lieven Ameel talking about narratives in planning at the University Think Corner, ’Tiedekulma’, 8.4.2015. Photo: Toni Rönni.​

As a field with excellent expertise on stories and story-telling, literary studies has an enormous potential for influencing a wide range of other fields, and I have tried to bring some of the insights and methods from literary study on cities to a multidisciplinary audience working within urban studies. In my many public and personal talks on the subject with architects, landscape architects, urban planners and geographers, I have generally been met with encouragement and enthusiasm.

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