Research output per year
Research output per year
Personal profile
Description of research and teaching
I work as university lecturer in social work at University of Helsinki and as researcher currently in the following research projects: ReJustice - Linguistic justice, global migration and the Nordic welfare state, LIVICS - Identifying and counteracting language-based vulnerabilities in social work with children through the lens of professional discretion, and SWORD - Social work dissertations in Finland 2007-2022.
My research has concerned different aspects of transnational mobility as well as research methods and research ethics in qualitative research. I have researched, for example, family and care relations in transnational migration, newcomer migrant families' access and use of social services, and linguistic diversity in welfare services in Finland. I have written, for example, on transnational daightering, the role of public service interpreters in social work, and research ethics in qualitative research.
During the academic year 2026–27, I teach courses on qualitative methods in social research, diversity in social work and social services, and social work bachelor's seminar. I am also teacher tutor in social work in both Bachelor and master degree programmes in social sciences. I supervise thesis in bachelor, master and doctoral levels.
I am member of degree programme steering group of bachelor degree programme in social sciences.
Supervisor for doctoral programme
- Doctoral Programme in Social Sciences
Fields of Science
- 5145 Social work
- 5142 Social policy
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or
-
Conceptualising Linguistic Disadvantage in the Context of Diversifying Welfare Institutions
Simola, A., Nordberg, C. & Kara, H., Jan 2025, In: Social Policy and Society. 24, 1, p. 89-99 11 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
Introduction: Linguistic Disadvantage in Diversifying and Restructuring Welfare Societies
Nordberg, C., Kara, H., Simola, A. & Potzsch, T., 4 Aug 2025, In: Social Policy and Society. 24, 1, p. 84-88 5 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
Linguistic Autonomy in a Monolingual Social Imaginary: Social Work Practitioners' Sense-making of the Role of Language in Migrant 'Integration'
Kara, H., Nordberg, C., Jappinen, M. & Riitaoja, A.-L., 3 Feb 2025, In: Social Policy and Society. 24, 1, p. 100-111 12 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review
Open Access -
Moninaisuus pohjoismaisessa hyvinvointivaltiossa
Heino, E. M., Tarkiainen, L. E., Jäppinen, M. T. H. & Kara, H. M., 8 Sept 2025, In: Janus : sosiaalipolitiikan ja sosiaalityön tutkimuksen aikakauslehti. 33, 3Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › Scientific
Open AccessFile -
Some Useful Sources
Simola, A., Kara, H., Pötzsch, T. & Nordberg, C., 22 Aug 2025, In: Social Policy and Society. 24, 1, p. 169-170 2 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific
-
LIVICS: Identifying and counteracting language-based vulnerabilities in social work with children through the lens of professional discretion
Kara, H. (Co-Principal Investigator), Heino, E. (Participant), Hela, J. (Participant), Koskinen, T. K. (Participant), Merikoski, P. (Participant), Raappana, M. (Participant) & Raappana, M. (Editor)
01/07/2024 → 31/12/2026
Project: Ministry funding
-
Rejustice: Lingustic (in)justice, global migration and the Nordic welfare state
Gustafsson, K. (Project manager), Kara, H. (Participant), Tolvanen, E. (Participant), Nordberg, C. (Participant), Åberg, L. (Participant) & Nikolaidou, Z. (Participant)
01/08/2023 → 31/07/2027
Project: Research project
-
SWORD: Social work doctoral research in Finland 2007–2022
Puurunen, P. (Principal Investigator), Kara, H. (Participant), Lähteinen, S. (Participant) & Suonio, M. (Participant)
01/01/2022 → …
Project: Research project
-
SOSKIELI: Monikielisyys ja kielellinen haavoittuvuus sosiaalityön digitalisoituvilla kentillä
Nordberg, C. (Principal Investigator), Kulmala, M. (Co-Principal Investigator), Granholm, C. (Participant), Heino, E. (Participant), Kara, H. (Participant), Olakivi, A. (Participant), Lassila, A.-M. (Participant) & Merikoski, P. (Participant)
01/07/2021 → 31/12/2023
Project: Research project
-
Interpreting in Social Services - Professional expertise in the multilingual landscape of welfare service work in Finland
Nordberg, C. (Principal Investigator) & Kara, H. (Participant)
01/01/2021 → 31/12/2022
Project: Research project
Prizes
Activities
-
Luottamuksen rakentuminen vieraskielisen vanhemman ja työntekijän välillä lastensuojelun sosiaalityöntekijöiden kuvaamana
Heino, E. (Speaker) & Kara, H. (Speaker)
15 May 2025Activity: Talk or presentation types › Oral presentation
-
Nordic Migration Research Conference
Kara, H. (Speaker: Chair), Gustafsson, K. (Speaker: Chair), Åberg, L. (Speaker: Chair) & Nordberg, C. (Speaker: Chair)
15 Aug 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Organisation and participation in conferences, workshops, courses, seminars
-
Linguistic diversity and vulnerability in social work in the era of digitalization
Kara, H. (Speaker) & Nordberg, C. (Speaker)
6 Mar 2024Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk
-
Flerspråkighet och språklig utsatthet i socialarbetets digitaliserande miljöer
Kara, H. (Speaker) & Nordberg, C. (Speaker)
8 Mar 2024Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk
-
Linguistic diversity and vulnerability in social work in Finland
Kara, H. (Speaker)
7 May 2024Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk