Research output per year
Research output per year
Personal profile
Description of research and teaching
Katja Valaskivi is Professor in Religious Studies and Media Research and founding director of the Helsinki Research Hub on Religion, Media and Social Change (Heremes) at the University of Helsinki, Finland. She is also Affiliate Professor in the URPP Digital Religion(s) at the University of Zurich. Valaskivi’s background is in social sciences, media and cultural studies and Japanese studies. She studies technologies in religious contexts and beliefs and ideologies related to technology. Her recent publications focus on religion and AI, innovationism, epistemic instability and religion, media and populism. She is the Vice President of the International Society of Media, Religion and Culture (ISMRC) and a board member in the Finnish Society for the Study of Religion (SUS) .
External positions
Mediatutkimuksen dosentti, Tampereen yliopisto
2007 → …
Fields of Science
- 518 Media and communications
- religion, media and social change
- conspiracy theories
- epistemic contestations
- hybrid media events
- countermedia
- social media
- extremism
- terrorism
- innovationism
- religion, media and populism
- 6160 Other humanities
- Study of religion
Supervisor for doctoral programme
- Doctoral Programme in Social Sciences
- Doctoral programme in the Humanities
- Doctoral Programme in Theology and Religious Studies
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Havaintoja stereotypioista ja kontekstien sekoittumisesta tekoälyjumalanpalveluksessa
Valaskivi, K., 15 Apr 2026, In: Uskonnontutkija. 15, 1, 19 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific
Open AccessFile -
Media and the Spirit of Populism
Valaskivi, K. (Editor), Sumiala, J. (Editor), Tiusanen, K. O. (Editor) & Halonen, H. (Editor), 20 Mar 2026, Abingdon: Routledge. (Routledge Research in Religion, Media and Culture)Research output: Book/Report › Anthology or special issue › Scientific › peer-review
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Media and the Spirit of Populism – Introduction
Valaskivi, K., Sumiala, J., Tiusanen, K. O. & Halonen, H., 20 Mar 2026, Media and the Spirit of Populism. Valaskivi , K., Sumiala, J., Tiusanen, K. & Halonen, H. (eds.). Abingdon: Routledge, (Routledge Research in Religion, Media and Culture ).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › Scientific › peer-review
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The Spirit of Populist Victimhood: Underbrush Influencers and the Quest for Redemption
Sumiala, J. & Valaskivi, K., 20 Mar 2026, Media and the Spirit of Populism. Valaskivi , K., Sumiala, J., Tiusanen, K. & Halonen, H. (eds.). Abingdon: Routledge, (Routledge Research in Religion, Media and Culture ).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › Scientific › peer-review
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“Can I send a robot to attend an AI church service on my behalf?”: Experiences of the unexpected in an AI generated worship service in a Helsinki church
Valaskivi, K., 13 Feb 2026, (Accepted/In press) Religion and AI: Theoretical and Empirical Approaches. Tsuria, R., Vitullo, A. & Mansour, N. (eds.). BloomsburyResearch output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › Scientific › peer-review
Projects
- 3 Finished
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MERELPO: Mediatized Religious Populism
Valaskivi, K. (Principal Investigator), Sumiala, J. (Co-Principal Investigator), Ahtiainen, J. K. (Participant), Halonen, H. E. E. (Participant), Lauhio, E. (Participant), Pyrhönen, N. J. (Participant), Pyrhönen, N. J. (Participant) & Tiusanen, K. O. (Participant)
SUOMEN AKATEMIA Vähäkylä Leena
01/09/2021 → 31/08/2025
Project: Research Council of Finland: Academy Project
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ENNCODE: Extremist Networks, Narcotics and Criminality in Online Darknet Environments
Valaskivi, K. (Project manager), Pyrhönen, N. J. (Principal Investigator) & Pyrhönen, N. J. (Participant)
SUOMEN AKATEMIA Vähäkylä Leena
01/01/2020 → 31/12/2022
Project: Research Council of Finland: Academy Programme
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SAPO: The politics of conspiracy theories - The Christchurch attack and the circulation of #falseflag in the hybrid media environment.
Valaskivi, K. (Principal Investigator) & Sumiala, J. (Principal Investigator)
01/10/2019 → 31/12/2021
Project: Research project
Activities
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Tieteen päivät 2025
Valaskivi, K. (Attendee)
9 Jan 2025Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Public Talks
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Innovationism 2.0 and the Polycrisis - Discussions about the Singularity on Reddit
Valaskivi, K. (Speaker), Schneider, G. (Speaker) & Singler, B. (Speaker)
6 Aug 2025Activity: Talk or presentation types › Oral presentation
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Singularity as Salvation? Managing Threat and Hope of Innovations in Reddit-Discussions
Valaskivi, K. (Speaker)
31 Oct 2025Activity: Talk or presentation types › Oral presentation
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Robots and AI in Religious Contexts: Contradictions in Practices and Teachings
Valaskivi, K. (Speaker) & Eiviler, K. (Speaker)
30 Jun 2025Activity: Talk or presentation types › Oral presentation
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University of Zurich, URPP Digital Religion(s) (External organisation)
Valaskivi, K. (Member)
2025 → …Activity: Membership types › Membership or other role in public Finnish or international organization
Press/Media
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Huomiokone muokkaa todellisuutta
Uusitalo, N. & Valaskivi, K.
02/02/2021
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Press / Media
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Kun Somessa kuplii, median pitää pysähtyä miettimään
Valaskivi, K. & Uusitalo, N.
02/02/2021
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Press / Media
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Radikaalioikeisto käyttää hyväkseen hybridiä mediatilaa salaliittoteoreettisen ajattelun levittämisessä
Pyrhönen, N. J. & Valaskivi, K.
12/08/2020
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Press / Media
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