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 social divisions and well-being, policy and politics, and cultural phenomena.  

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

Professors

Antti Tanskanen profile picture
Antti
Tanskanen
Professor, Department of Social Research
+358 29 450 4468
+358 40 589 3980
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
Hans
Hämäläinen
University Teacher, Department of Social Research
Docent, Department of Social Research
+358 29 450 4016
+358 50 441 0877
Michael
Laakasuo
University Lecturer, Department of Social Research
+358 29 450 2332
+358 50 448 3621

Researchers

Jarkko
Rasinkangas
University Lecturer, Social Work
+358 29 450 4578
+358 50 328 3288
Sampo Ruoppila profile picture
Sampo
Ruoppila
PhD, Research Director of Urban Studies, Director of Turku Urban Research Programme
Research Director, Department of Social Research
+358 29 450 2683
+358 40 592 6629

Department Coordinator

Marja Andersson profile picture
Marja
Andersson
MSc
HR Specialist, Faculty of Social Sciences
+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