Aili Pyhälä, Adjunct Professor

Development Studies
Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science (HELSUS)
Docent Contract, Academic Disciplines of the Faculty of Social Sciences
Title of Docent, Faculty Common Matters
Supervisor for doctoral programme, Doctoral Programme in Political, Societal and Regional Change

Phone0294124257, 0503116998
Emailaili.pyhala@helsinki.fi

Research output per year

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Personal profile

Curriculum vitae

I have extensive grassroots-level experience in more than 25 countries immersing myself in, and engaging with, indigenous peoples and local communities, along with their knowledge systems, beliefs and practices. Alongside my academic work, I am a committed activist defending territories of life and their defenders, and in support of decolonized and decentralized governance systems. In trying to understand the roots of global processes of so-called “development”, I have also been drawn to understanding and explaining the nuances and universalities in cross-cultural perceptions of happiness and wellbeing.

I have on several occasions worked with national government and inter-ministerial policy groups in attempts to assist the incorporation of more holistic and integrated sustainability indicators (e.g. Ecological Footprint, Gross National Happiness) into decision-making. With 20 years of experience evaluating international cooperation projects worldwide, and following principles of permaculture, my current research looks at the ways in which the promotion and imposition of various forms of so-called “development” programmes – in the ways of mainstream systems of education, politico-spiritual governance, and natural resource management (including top-down conservation and food security strategies) - affect local cultures, environments, knowledge systems, and overall wellbeing. I am Honorary member of the ICCA Consortium, in which I sat in the Executive Committee/Council fo several years. I am also Member of the Centre of Indigenous Conservation and Development Alternatives (CICADA) and Ambassador for the Global Ecovillage Network (GEN).

Education information

Ph.D. in Development Studies, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK (Oct 1999 - Apr 2004)
B.Sc. in Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK (Oct 1995 - Jun 1999)

Fields of Science

5203 Development Studies
Sustainability
Cross-cultural Wellbeing
1172 Environmental sciences
Conservation
5200 Other social sciences
indigenous peoples
knowledge systems

International and National Collaboration Publications and projects within past five years.

Publications

23 Article
8 Chapter
7 Commissioned report
2 Conference contribution
5 More

Global Environmental Change: Local perceptions, understandings and explanations

Pyhälä, A. A., Fernandez-Llamazares Onrubia, A., Lehvävirta, H., Byg, A., Ruiz-Mallén, I., Salpeteur, M. & Thornton, T., 2 Sep 2016, In : Ecology and Society. 21, 3, 29 p., 25.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

Open Access

File

Hunter-gatherers in a Changing World

Reyes-Garcia, V. (ed.) & Pyhälä, A. A. (ed.), Dec 2016, Springer International Publishing . 257 p.

Research output: Book/Report › Anthology or special issue › Scientific › peer-review

The essential role of other effective area-based conservation measures in achieving big bold conservation targets

Dudley, N., Jonas, H., Nelson, F., Parish, J., Pyhälä, A. A., Stolton, S. & Watson, J., Jul 2018, In : Global Ecology and Conservation. 15, 7 p., 00424.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review Article › Scientific › peer-review

Open Access

File

Subjective Wellbeing and Income: Empirical Patterns in the Rural Developing World

Reyes-Garcia, V., Babigumira, R., Pyhälä, A., Wunder, S., Zorondo-Rodriguez, F. & Angelsen, A., Apr 2016, In : Journal of Happiness Studies. 17, 2, p. 773-791 19 p.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review