
Gender Studies
Gender Studies at the Tampere University has a strong interdisciplinary and social science orientation. Our research draws on and contributes to recent developments in feminist theories and methodologies, and engages actively with the societal and political contexts it arises from. We approach gender intersectionally, analysing how gender emerges in relation to other categories of difference, such as race and ethnicity, class, sexuality, age and disability.
Our key research areas include: politics, economy and activism; science, technology and higher education; politics of affect, emotions and embodiment; and working life.
Testifying to the strength and success of our research, “Gender, institutions and politics” is mentioned as a top research field at Tampere University. This reflects the significance, impact and high quality of gender studies at both national and international levels.
Gender Studies at Tampere university has one ERC funded project, 4 Academy of Finland funded projects, 4 Academy of Finland Research Fellows and Postdoctoral Researchers, one Nordic Centre of Excellence and three Kone Foundation projects. In addition to strong research in the field of gender studies, these projects offer opportunities for our Masters level students to do their theses within the projects. We also welcome PhD student applications. The projects can be found on the research tab. Our Gender Studies Master's programme welcomes application every two years, while our Doctoral Programme in Social Sciences can be applied to twice a year.
Banner: Art by Jukka Metsäaho, photo by Samuli Turunen
Research themes
Politics, Economy and Activism
Politics of Affect, Embodiment and Close Relations
Science, Technology and Society
Politics, Economy and Activism analyses struggles around gender equality, gender and sexual diversity, equality policies and feminist politics within traditional institutions – such as, parliaments, political parties, economic institutions, labour markets as well as NGOized civil society and grassroots level. We study the interplay between international, national and local level institutions, both formal and informal. We explore the changing power relations where governance structures, democracy, and different forms of activism are negotiated.
Research projects in the theme:
- EU economic governance in member states: Policies and practices from the perspective of gender and democracy (GENEG), Academy of Finland, 2022–2027. PI: Anna Elomäki.
- Gender, party politics and democracy in Europe: A study of European Parliament's Party Groups (EUGenDem), European Research Council Consolidator Grant, 2018–2023, PI: Johanna Kantola.
- Flows of Power - media as site and agent of politics (FLOPO), Academy of Finland, 2019–2022, PI: Anu Koivunen.
- Affective Activism: Sites of Queer and Trans World-Making (AQT), Academy of Finland, 2021–2025, PI: Tuula Juvonen.
- On the road to gender-sensitive parliaments? Gender Equality and Democratic Practices in the Finnish, German, and Polish Parliament Compared(GSParls), Academy of Finland, 2021–2026, Academy Research Fellow: Petra Ahrens.
- The impact of the Covid-19 crisis on gender equality in Finland, Government’s analysis, assessment and research activities, 2020–2022, PI for Tampere University: Anna Elomäki
- (Irti)kytkentöjä: ruokaomavaraistuminen kumppanuuslajien verkostoissa, Kone Foundation, 2019–2022, PI: Pieta Savinotko.
Politics of Affect, Embodiment and Close Relations conducts empirical work on affects, everyday experiences, and politics in social and intimate relations, intersectional differences, bodily boundaries, and cultural imaginaries. Key themes include intimate relations and sexualities, media representations, activism and social changes, knowledge production, and developing queer and feminist methods to study affect, embodiment, and relationships.
Research projects in the theme:
- Intimacy in data-driven culture (IDA), Academy of Finland Strategic Research Funding, 2019–2022, PI: Anu Koivunen.
- Affective Activism: Sites of Queer and Trans World-Making (AQT), Academy of Finland, 2021–2025, PI: Tuula Juvonen.
- The Everyday Ethics of Reproductive Outsourcing: Makin Good Life in the Era of Biocapitalism (EEROS), Academy of Finland, 2019–2024, Academy Research Fellow: Riikka Homanen.
Science, Technology and Society provides intersectional studies of the relation between knowledge production, power and social justice, as well as studies of how technology is enacted in everyday life. In doing so we engage with the dynamic processes and relations that intertwine human and non-human actors, institutions, and society. We examine socio-material practices and policies as gendered embodied phenomena, for example, in the fields of biomedicine, biotechnology, bioeconomies and healthcare.
Research projects in the theme:
- Affect and Biotechnological Change: Three Vaccine Debates in Europe, Academy of Finland, 2018–2023, Academy Research Fellow: Venla Oikkonen.
- The Everyday Ethics of Reproductive Outsourcing: Making Good Life in the Era of Biocapitalism (EEROS), Academy of Finland, 2019–2024, Academy Research Fellow: Riikka Homanen.
- Gendered Chronic Disease, Embodied Differences and Biomedical Knowledge (GenDis), Academy of Finland and Kone Foundation, 2021–2025, PI: Venla Oikkonen.
- Technology, Ethics and Reproduction: Controversy in the Era of Normalisation, (ReproEthics), Kone Foundation, 2019–2022, PI: Riikka Homanen.
Working Life studies how work is shaping gendered and racialized subjectivities and how different power relations are conditioning working life. We focus on the changes, continuities and new forms of work with a critical lens on individual as well as organizational and institutional level and in local, national and international contexts.
Key themes include gendering practices in work; equal pay; the embodiment and bodily requirements in work; women's entrepreneurship; shifting boundaries between work and non-work; and burn-out at work; race; ethnicity; power; neoliberal conditions of work; digital capitalism; the role of affective and emotional labor; vulnerability in work, and higher education.
Research projects in the theme:
- Beyond the gender paradox: Women's careers in technology-driven research and innovation in and outside of academe, Nordwit, Nordic Center of Excellence, Nordforsk, 2017–2022, PI: Marja Vehviläinen.
- Neoliberalizing Welfare State Employment: Ideology, Institutional Agency, and Gendered Labour Market Outcomes, Academy of Finland, 2018–2022, Postdoctoral researcher: Paula Koskinen Sandberg.
Our Gender Studies Master's programme welcomes application every two years, while our Doctoral Programme in Social Sciences can be applied to twice a year.
Master’s programme
https://www.tuni.fi/en/study-with-us/gender-studies
https://www.tuni.fi/fi/tule-opiskelemaan/sukupuolentutkimus-yhteiskuntatutkimuksen-maisteriohjelma (In Finnish)
Doctoral programme
https://www.tuni.fi/en/study-with-us/doctoral-programme-social-sciences
https://www.tuni.fi/fi/tule-opiskelemaan/yhteiskuntatutkimuksen-tohtoriohjelma (In Finnish)
Social sciences programme (In Finnish)
https://www.tuni.fi/fi/tule-opiskelemaan/yhteiskuntatutkimuksen-koulutus
Are you interested in studying Gender Studies at Bachelor’s level in Academic Year 2023-2024?
YKT.YKE.500 Current Research on Embodiment and Gender, 5 ECTS
Seminar Gender, Body, Biomedicine and online lectures Gendered and Sexualized Society both in period I
YKT.YKE.502 Global Issues of Gender and Embodiment, 5 ECTS
Online courses Gender, Body, Water and The Feminist Revolution in Iran organised by HILMA Network for Gender Studies (both in periods I-II) AND Thinking with and around 'feminism without borders' in period IV. (Note application to the courses via Hilma website)
YKT.YKE.504/505 Introduction to Gender Studies, 5 ECTS
Online course organised by HILMA Network for Gender Studies (Note application to the course via Hilma website)
Besides attending seminar or online teaching, the courses may also be completed by taking an exam or writing an essay independently. You may register for the exams at TUNI Exam or contact the responsible teacher to write an essay for the following courses:
YKT.228 Gender, Body and Intersectionality, 5 ECTS
Responsible teacher: Tuula Juvonen.
YKT.215 Gender Studies: Theories and Concepts, 5 ECTS
Responsible teacher: Tuula Juvonen.
YKT.YKE.501 Genders and Sexualities, 5 ECTS
Responsible teacher: Tuula Juvonen.
YKT.YKE.502 Global Issues of Gender and Embodiment, 5 ECTS
Responsible teacher: Hanna Ojala
YKT.YKE.503 Men and Masculinities, 5 ECTS
Responsible teacher: Hanna Ojala
Are you interested in studying Gender Studies at Master’s level in Academic Year 2023-2024?
SSR.GEN.020 Gendered and Sexualized Society, 5 ECTS
Lectures in period I. Responsible teacher: Hanna Ojala
SSR.GEN.030 Feminist Classics, 5 ECTS
Seminar in period I-II. Responsible teacher: Marja Peltola
SSR.GEN.050 Feminist Methodology, 5 ECTS
Online lectures in period II. Responsible teacher: Marja Peltola
SSR.GEN.070 Gender Equality as work, 5 ECTS
Seminar in period IV. Responsible teacher: Hanna Ojala
YKT.SUT.311 Science, Technology and Health, 5 ECTS
Seminar Gender, Body, Biomedicine in period I and lectures Technologies, Institutions and Reproduction in period II.
Besides attending contact teaching, the course may also be completed by writing an essay independently. Please contact the responsible teacher to write an essay for the following courses:
SSR.GEN.040 Feminist Theory, 5 ECTS
Responsible teacher: Marja Peltola
YKT.SUT.310 Power, Politics and Activism, 5 ECTS
Responsible teacher: Anna Elomäki
YKT.SUT.311 Science, Technology and Health, 5 ECTS
Responsible teacher: Venla Oikkonen
YKT.SUT.312 Affects, Emotions and Body, 5 ECTS
Responsible teacher: Marja Peltola
YKT.SUT.313 Sexuality and Intimate Relations, 5 ECTS
Responsible teacher: Varpu Alasuutari
YKT.SUT.314 Work, Economy and Gender, 5 ECTS
Responsible teacher: Anna Elomäki

Gender Studies' Flower Day Seminar 12.5.2023
Gender Studies' Flower Day Seminar is here again! This year's Flower Day Seminar takes place on 12 May 2023 at 13-16 in Linna 5026. The traditional Gender Studies' Flower Day Seminar celebrates its 30th anniversary! In the seminar, we hear presentations on this academic year's Master's and Doctoral thesis in Gender Studies. We will also announce the 'Flora of the Year' - a title granted to a person or a group whom we wish to thank for advancing gender studies and/or gender equality this year - and of course celebrate together. Welcome!
Teaching Staff
Research Staff
Docents
Tuula Gordon
Suvi Keskinen
Rebecca Lund
Aino Saarinen-Manninen