Tampere Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation Studies (TaSTI) would like to thank everyone for a busy and rewarding autumn. We look forward to an exciting spring. This newsletter includes information about upcoming events, recent publications and activities and courses coordinated by TaSTI.
Upcoming events
- Save the dates for spring 2026 TaSTI seminars! Fri 6 Feb: What is innovation research? Wed 29 April: TaSTI early career research seminar (theme TBC). Tue 9 June: Joint seminar with Marjo Kolehmainen’s Research Council of Finland project NetCare – Networked Care: Intimate Matters in Online Mental Health Support.
- The 22nd annual conference of the Nordic Society for Phenomenology (NoSP) ”Phenomenology in the Anthropocene”, Tampere University, 22–24 April 2026. Deadline for abstracts 12 December 2025. Nordic Society for Phenomenology (NoSP) 2026 conference | Tampere Universities
- Reading circle on Jathan Sadowski’s book The Mechanic and the Luddite on January 30, 2026 at Tampere University (in Finnish): https://research.tuni.fi/techphilo/uutinen/kuka-pelkaa-luddiittia/
- The Finnish Society for Science and Technology Studies (FSSTS) has launched an STS reading circle and STS research seminar, held online every first Monday of the month at 12pm via Zoom. The dates for the spring meetings are: 12.1.2026 seminar, 2.2.2026 reading circle; 2.3.2026 seminar; 6.4.2026 reading circle; 4.5.2026 seminar; 1.6.2026 reading circle. Suggestions for papers to be discussed are welcomed: reading circle, Terhi Esko (terhi.esko@helsinki.fi); research seminar, Tomi Lehtimäki (tomi.1.lehtimaki@aalto.fi). The Zoom link: https://helsinki.zoom.us/j/64866167054?pwd=rWgdmy6fMjWrjK7Z5v1bFmrxShbKmV.1
- A live science theatre performance HELPDESK-112 (in Finnish) by researchers from the DIG1t0 project (https://projects.tuni.fi/digito/) based on research on the digital transformation of public services. Digitalisation is illuminated from the perspective of marginalized citizens. The Live Science Theatre format draws influence from performance art and documentary theatre with researchers and actors collaborating on stage. Performance dates: 27 Feb 2026 at Tekstin talon, Parvisali, Helsinki and 1 April 2026 at Teatteri Telakka, Tampere. Ticket sales will open in January.
Upcoming courses in science, technology and innovation studies (2025-2026)
- YKT.YKE.601 Tieteen- ja teknologiantutkimuksen teoriat ja käsitteet:
- Biotiede, teknologia ja ruumiilliset erot, 2.3.2026 – 8.5.2026
- YKT.YKE.604 Research Areas in Social Studies of Science and Technology/Tieteen- ja teknologiantutkimuksen erityisalat:
- Professional Expertise in Social Sciences, Innovation for Sustainability, 5.3.2026 – 31.5.2026
- Johdatus visuaaliseen tutkimukseen, 3.3.2026 – 28.4.2026
- Sosiologian nykykeskusteluja (YKT.SOO.304): Datafikaatio talouden, hallinnon ja arjen ekologiassa, 5.3.–16.4.
Recent publications by the TaSTI research community
- Alava, H. & Oikkonen, V. (2025) Hormones, Culture and Puberty: How Clinicians (Don’t) See Gender in Pediatric Persistent Pain. Social Science & Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.118856
- Elmholdt, K.T., Huising, R. & Mäkinen, E..I. (eds) (2025) Expertise in and Around Organizations: The Changing Constitution and Ecology of Expertise. Emerald Publishing (open access).
- Hämäläinen, N. & Lehtonen, T.-K. (2025) Working values into practice and transforming them on the way: some examples from environmental ethics. In Christensen, A.-M., Forsberg, N. & Rodogno, R. (eds) Contextual Ethics, Palgrave. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-97293-5_12
- Kostia, S. & Tiitola, S. (eds) (2025) Co-Developing in Namibia for Circular Economy Capacity Building and Business Model Mapping. Tampere University of Applied Sciences, Series B, Reports 164. Available at https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-7592-11-3
- Oikkonen, V., Temmes, M. & Helosvuori, E. (2025) Menopause and Endometriosis: Tracing the Entanglements of Hormones, Ageing and Gendered Chronic Illness. NORA – Nordic Journal of Feminist and Gender Research. https://doi.org/10.1080/08038740.2025.2560495
- Oikkonen, V. (2025) Navigating Pharmaceutical Effects: Experiences of Hormonal Medications in Endometriosis. Science & Technology Studies. https://doi.org/10.23987/sts.144694
- Parviainen, J. (2025) Filosofit teknojättien etiikkapesulassa – Tekoälyn etiikka hyvetalouden markkinoilla. [Philosophers in the ethics laundry of tech giants –AI ethics in the economies of virtue.] niin&näin, vol 126, 3/2025, 75–84. https://trepo.tuni.fi/handle/10024/231036
- Rajala, A. I., Vaittinen, T., Lahti, L., Lahtinen, T., & Ojala, H. (2025). Vaippastigma yhteiskunnallisena eriarvoisuuskoneena. [The stigma of wearing incontinence pads as machinery of inequality.] Sosiologia, 62(3). https://journal.fi/sosiologia/article/view/152040
- Vigren, M., Kurko, A., & Rautiainen-Keskustalo, T. (2025) Digitaalisen maailman rikkinäisyys: Medialaitteiden korjaaminen, kunnossapito ja hoiva planetaarisena toimintana. Media & viestintä, 48(3), 143–166. https://journal.fi/mediaviestinta/article/view/157396
Upcoming!
The book Kiistelty terveys [Controversial Health], edited by Johanna Nurmi, Piia Jallinoja, Mikko Jauho & Pia Vuolanto, will be published in March 2026 by Gaudeamus. The book dives into burning health disputes of our time, with topics such as childbirth, alternative therapies, pain management, nutrition and vaccines.
News and other activities
- The consortium ”Organizing Across Boundaries for Responsible Use of AI” (ORBIT) received funding from NordForsk for 2026-2029. Consortium principal investigators include Kasper T. Elmholdt (Aalborg University), Elina I. Mäkinen (Tampere University), Kajsa Lindberg (University of Gothenburg), and Bjørn Erik Mørk (BI Norwegian Business School). Project abstract available here: Organizing Across Boundaries for Responsible Use of AI: Towards Interconnected Smart Grids in the Nordic Energy Sector (ORBIT) | NordForsk
- TaSTI-affiliated researchers were also successful with the Kone Foundation, congratulations! Science and technology studies related projects: Taru Lehtokunnas: Piilottelevat seuralaisemme: Ihmisten ja hyönteisten välisten suhteiden sosiologia; Siiri Savinotko: Tiedontuotanto postdigitaalisten arkistojen monitoimijaisissa sommitelmissa; Tiina Vaittinen: Follow the money… to the land of milk and honey? Tracing the transnational political economies of nurse migration from the Philippines to Finland
- The Finnish Network for Gender and Chronic Illness was launched in August 2025. Read more about the network and join the mailing list: https://research.tuni.fi/tasti-en/the-finnish-network-for-gender-and-chronic-illness/
- Lehtonen, T.-K. (2025) Mitä ilmastokriisin jälkeen? Suomen Kuvalehti 47/2025: 58. https://suomenkuvalehti.fi/mielipide/turo-kimmo-lehtonen-ilmastonmuutokseen-sana-kriisi-sopii-perin-huonosti-sita-ei-saada-pois/
- Meskus, M (2025) Lahja 50-vuotiaalle. In Kuurne, K, Venho, J & Nykänen A-S (eds) Paljastuskirja. Nyt. Kirjoituksia keski-ikäisen ruumiin tiloista ja iloista. https://www.wsoy.fi/kirjat/paljastuskirja-nyt/
The next TaSTI newsletter will be published in March. If you have news that would be of interest to the TaSTI community, please contact Venla Oikkonen venla.oikkonen@tuni.fi