Dissertation defence (Futures Studies): MA Seyedeh Akhgar Kaboli

MA Seyedeh Akhgar Kaboli defends the dissertation in Futures Studies titled “How Young Adults in Finland Imagine and Negotiate Their Futures under Precarious Conditions” at the University of Turku on 20 August 2026 at 12.00 (University of Turku, Turku School of Economics, Lähitapiola Auditorium, Rehtorinpellonkatu 3, Turku).

Opponent: University Lecturer, Docent Anna-Kaisa Kuusisto (Tampere University)

Custos: Senior University Lecturer, Docent Katriina Siivonen (University of Turku)

Summary of the Doctoral Dissertation:

Uncertainty is an increasingly common part of everyday life. Economic instability, climate change, political conflicts, migration, and rapid social change mean that many people face several forms of uncertainty at the same time. This dissertation explores how young adults in Finland imagine and negotiate their futures under these conditions. It focuses on university students, refugees, and asylum seekers whose lives are shaped by different but often overlapping uncertainties.

The research shows that uncertainty is not a single experience. Instead, legal, economic, social, and personal uncertainties often become layered, creating complex situations that affect how people understand their lives and their future. The study also shows that people's views of the future cannot be separated from their past experiences and present circumstances. Instead, past, present, and future are closely connected, continually shaping how people make sense of their lives and the decisions they make.

A central finding of the dissertation is that prolonged uncertainty can change how people relate to the future. Rather than simply making future planning more difficult, it can make it harder for people to see the future as something they can realistically plan for and work towards. Many participants no longer planned years ahead but instead focused on short term, achievable steps while continually adjusting their hopes and expectations. At the same time, they continued to find ways to maintain hope, purpose, and a sense of possibility despite difficult circumstances.

The findings show that people's opportunities to build meaningful futures depend not only on their personal motivation but also on the conditions in which they live. Factors such as legal security, education, employment, and social inclusion influence whether people are able to imagine, plan for, and work towards the future. Supporting young adults therefore requires more than encouraging resilience or positive thinking. It also requires creating conditions that make meaningful future planning possible.

By improving our understanding of how uncertainty shapes everyday life, this dissertation offers insights for policymakers and professionals working in migration, education, employment, and youth services. As uncertainty becomes an increasingly common feature of society, these findings can help develop policies and practices that better support young adults living with prolonged uncertainty and create opportunities for them to build meaningful futures.