Department of Social Research

Social Policy, Social Work, Sociology and Economic Sociology form the Department of Social Research. Areas of expertise profiling the departments teaching and research include well-being issues, cultural interaction, social inequality and comparative research.  

Head of Department

Pekka Räsänen profile picture
Pekka
Räsänen
Ph.D.
Professor, Economic Sociology
+358 29 450 2686
+358 50 567 2230

Vice Head of Department

Heikki
Ervasti
Professor, Social Policy
+358 29 450 2158
+358 40 511 7146

Professor of Practice

Hanna Tiirinki profile picture
Hanna
Tiirinki
Dosentti, TtT
Professor of Practice, Department of Social Research
+358 29 450 2328
+358 50 593 3864

Teaching staff

Heidi
Elmgren
University Teacher, Department of Social Research
Esa Karonen profile picture
Esa
Karonen
University Teacher, Department of Social Research
Doctoral Student, Sociology
+358 29 450 4813
Leena Koivusilta profile picture
Leena
Koivusilta
Docent, Social Policy
University Lecturer, Social Policy
Johanna Nurmi profile picture
Johanna
Nurmi
University Teacher, Department of Social Research
+358 29 450 4689
+358 50 472 4719

Department Coordinator

Marja Andersson profile picture
Marja
Andersson
MSc
+358 29 450 4756
+358 50 463 6781

Social Policy

Social Work

Sociology

Economic Sociology

Turku Center for Welfare Research

Cultural interaction research network KULTVA

Research Unit for the Sociology of Education, RUSE
Koulutussosiologian tutkimuskeskus sulautunut osaksi sosiaalitieteiden laitosta

In the years 1990–2021, in the University of Turku had Research Unit for the Sociology of Education (RUSE), whose operations merged at the beginning of 2022 with the Department of Social Research and its subjects.

>> Check out the research done at RUSE