Henrietta Grönlund

Henrietta Grönlund is a sociologist of religion, who has specialized in questions of civic engagement, civil society organizations, and welfare, and especially the role of meaning systems and values in relation to these themes. For example, her internationally awarded dissertation (2012) focused on values and identity work in young adults' volunteering. 

Dr. Grönlund has conducted empirical research on these themes in several national and international reseach projects. Her current research interests include the legacy of Lutheranism in Finns' moral frameworks of care, new forms of civic engagement, and the roles of religion and civil society orgainzations in urban cohesion and welfare. 

Dr. Grönlund holds the position of University Lecturer of Urban Theology at the University of Helsinki. In this position she directs a new project, which aims in understanding religion in urban contexts through community based and inter-disciplinary approaches to learning and research.

She is Project leader of the research project 'Urban poverty today (2017-2019, funded by Jane and Aatos Erkko foundation), and of the Finnish sub project of an international EU Erasmus+ project 'Europe Engage (2015-2017), which develops service learning in 12 European universities.

Dr. Grönlund also holds the title of Docent in Church and social studies at University of Helsinki. She has previously held the positions of Postdoctoral Researcher and University Researcher at the University of Helsinki during 2012-2015. She has also worked as Visiting Researcher at Boston University, Sociology Department. In addition to her academic career, Dr. Grönlund has from 2007 until 2016 worked in the Finnish non-profit sector as Director of Civic Engagement, Director of Research and Development, and Education Officer. In these positions she has developed and directed a range of projects, working methods, and trainings related to volunteering, peer support, and research.

Dr. Grönlund has held several positions of trust and expert memberships in various nonprofit organizations and the Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Finland, and she is a popular lecturer and expert in these networks as well as media, especially in relation to her expertise on volunteering, philanthropy and urban theology. She is currently (2018-2021) also an elected member of the University Collegium of University of Helsinki.