Education

Faculty of Arts, University of Helsinki:

• Docent (European ethnology) 2005
• Ph.D. (European ethnology) 1999
• Ph.Lic. (European ethnology) 1997
• M.Pol.Sc. (philosophy, Faculty of Political Sciences) 1995
• M.A. (European ethnology) 1992

Faculty of Humanities, University of Turku

• Docent (European ethnology)

Positions held                 

• Professor at the University of Helsinki (European ethnology) 1.8.2015-31.12.2017
• Research director at the Åbo Akademi University (European ethnology) 1.2.2015–31.3.2015
• Senior lecturer at the University of Helsinki (European ethnology) 1.3.3012-

• University researcher in European ethnology, University of Helsinki, 1.8.2009–28.2.2012

• Doctoral assistant in European ethnology, University of Helsinki, 1.8.2004–31.7.2009
• Research fellow in the urban studies program “Tradition and Modernity” financed by the Academy of Finland, 1.3.2004–30.6.2004
• Research fellow: The history of Helsinki (ethnological part) financed by the city of Helsinki, 1.3.2003–28.2.2004
• Research fellow attached to a Lotta Svärd history project financed by the Ministry of Education and various foundations, 1.7.2000–28.2.2003
•  Research fellow in an urban studies program financed by the Academy of Finland, 1.1.1999–30.6.2000

Kanssatieteilijä-blogi: http://blogs.helsinki.fi/polsson/

In my research, I have been interested in how people experience, remember and articulate their lives. I have delt with historical themes such as women's satus in the Finnish society and urban life but also with contemporary themes such as everyday multiculturalism among youth. One of my interests is ethnographic process and the knowledge we can produce through it. At the moment, I am doing research in a project called ‘Shared city’ in which we analyse the ways urban public and semi-public spaces affect interethnic encounters.