PYY spring schedule announced

The PYY seminar for spring 2026 is announced!

How can societies reach sustainable ways of living? How to tackle environmental issues in a way that ensures or increases human wellbeing, brings about ‘just transition’ and does not worsen existing inequalities? What motivates politicians, businesses and individuals to pursue sustainability and change their behaviour? The required changes will also require a new look on old theories of culture and cultural change, human needs and wellbeing, environmental philosophy, and on other socially relevant questions. The series will feature both empirical and theoretical work on these topics.

The goal for the seminar is to bring together researchers of all career stages, across each faculty at UTU, who are interested in the aforementioned themes. We hope to provide an approachable seminar in which to present ongoing work, gain feedback, and get to know and network with like-minded colleagues.

We are particularly welcoming towards early-career researchers.

Presentations for fall 2025:

Wed 21.1.2026 11.15-12.00 (Pub SH368) Esa-Pekka Nykänen: Mainstreaming Sustainable Consumption Through Regulation: Public Acceptance of New Meat Reduction Policies (Lihankulutuksen vähentämiseen tähtäävien politiikkatoimien hyväksyttävyys Suomessa)

Wed 11.2.2026 11.15-12.00 (Pub SH368) Jelena Gligorijevic: Towards a More Ecologically Sustainable Future Through Artivism? A Case Study of “Elokapina”

Wed 11.3.2026 11.15-12.00 (Pub SH499) Sami Mustikkamaa ja Ari Nieminen: Towards green growth or degrowth? A comparison of forest and energy sectors in Finland

Wed 15.4.2026 11.15-12.00 (Pub SH499) Oskari Hakala: Tracing Neoliberal Policy Entrepreneurs in Finnish Biodiversity Policy: The Case of Helmi Habitats Programme

Wed 13.5.2026 11.15-12.00 (Pub SH499) Milla Unkila: After The End – collapsologist view to sustainability studies (Lopun jälkeen – kollapsologia kestävyystutkimuksen linsseinä)

The PYY-seminars follow a traditional format of paper presentations of 45 minutes (such as 20mins of presentation + 25mins Q&A). We will organize the meetings physically at Publicum (Pub368 or Pub499) without a remote option.

Since we are meeting around lunchtime, we have the opportunity to enjoy a free-form lunch together after each session.

If you wish to stay in the loop and get reminders and up-to-date information on PYY seminars, please contact Sami Mustikkamaa (sapemu@utu.fi) and Henna Rouhiainen (heevro@utu.fi). We will try to minimize posting on broader email lists.

All researchers and students are warmly welcome to the seminar. Feel free to distribute the announcement!

Best,

organizers Sami Mustikkamaa and Henna Rouhiainen