Postdoctoral Research Fellow
1 August 2015-31 July 2017
Office: Atalpa 227
Email: pia.koivunen@uta.fi
Tel. +358 (0) 50 318 7573
My research interests lie in the Russian political and cultural history, more specifically in Russian/Soviet cultural diplomacy in the 20th century. My PhD dissertation Performing Peace and Friendship. The World Youth Festival as a tool of Soviet Cultural Diplomacy, 1947–1957 (University of Tampere, 2013) studied the practice of Soviet uses of soft power through a case study of “a socialist mega-event”, the World Youth Festival, which served as a channel of promoting Soviet “peace agendas” but also as an arena of cross-cultural encounters for young people.
In addition to book chapters and articles on the World Youth Festivals, cultural exchange and the Cold War, my recent publications include a special issue “Life under Totalitarian regimes” for Historiallinen Aikakauskirja (The Finnish Historical Journal) (1/2014) co-edited with Marko Tikka, as well as a volume Beyond the Divide. Entangled Histories of Cold War Europe (Berghahn, 2015) co-edited with Simo Mikkonen. (For a more detailed list of publications, see below)
I am currently revising my dissertation into two monographs, one of which focuses on the Soviet cultural diplomacy and the Soviet cultural relations with the outside world in the early Cold war, and the other, which analyses the World Youth Festivals, youth and the Cold War in transnational and Finnish contexts, offering a grass-roots view to the Cold war in Finland.
My new project explores Russian and Soviet cultural diplomacy and soft power in mega-events (e.g. World fairs, the Olympic Games). The project takes a broad look at Russia’s involvement in cultural and sporting events from the mid-19th century through the 21st century. I am especially interested in the ways in which Russian political and cultural elites have promoted Russia and Russian culture abroad and at home.
Research interests:
- Russian and Soviet history
- Cold War cultural and social history
- Mega-events
- Cultural diplomacy and cultural exchange
- History of youth and young people
- World Youth Festivals
- Performance, Propaganda, Soft power