North American Studies
The University of Tampere is the proud host of the oldest American Studies in Finland. The Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation endowed a multidisciplinary Erkko Chair in North American Studies from January 2007. The Erkko Chair is held by Professor Katri Sieberg.
North America plays an important role in world affairs. North American presence is seen in several dimensions: in culture, history, and popular culture, to name a few, but key aspects are found in the North American political and economic impacts. Politically, North America has a global effect which can be seen through foreign relations and also through the intense interest and scrutiny of the US presidential elections and domestic affairs. North America has an equally large economic impact.
The focus of the studies explores the politics and economics inside North America and North America’s political and economic impact in a global connection. The North American Studies at Tampere University applies analysis from political science and economics but also incorporates other fields, including history, sociology, and others. The study module draws from these multidisciplinary resources to explore institutions in North America and in Europe. A particular emphasis of the studies is welfare state issues and evaluation of differential welfare state systems. Incorporating welfare state issues provides a rich comparative focus on subjects of great importance in North America and in Europe.
The study module on North American Studies is a great resource for undergraduate students and post-graduate students who wish to pursue degrees in their main subject with a focus on North America. The program’s links with the Master’s Programme in Social Science Research - Public Policy Analysis gives students an idea of the types of courses that will be offered in that program.
In the news
Tampere’s North American Studies former Fulbright professor Peter Miller has been interviewed by YLE about potential changes in US legislation.
