Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies
@hcas.bsky.social
An independent institute for advanced study within the University of Helsinki. We focus on blue-skies research in the humanities and social sciences and promote innovative multidisciplinary interaction.
“The interdisciplinary dialogue at the Collegium played an important role in shaping my theoretical thinking and in encouraging methodological openness.”
Featured in the #HCASAlumni Gallery is Senior University Lecturer & Docent Mari Wiklund (@helsinki.fi).
www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...
Featured in the #HCASAlumni Gallery is Senior University Lecturer & Docent Mari Wiklund (@helsinki.fi).
www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...
February 5, 2026 at 11:08 AM
“The interdisciplinary dialogue at the Collegium played an important role in shaping my theoretical thinking and in encouraging methodological openness.”
Featured in the #HCASAlumni Gallery is Senior University Lecturer & Docent Mari Wiklund (@helsinki.fi).
www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...
Featured in the #HCASAlumni Gallery is Senior University Lecturer & Docent Mari Wiklund (@helsinki.fi).
www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...
”The warm feeling of companionship between fellows fostered my academic growth and continues to inspire me.”
Professor of Sociology Ugo Corte (University of Stavanger) considers his fellowship at HCAS to be a foundational step in his career. #HCASAlumni
Read more: www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...
Professor of Sociology Ugo Corte (University of Stavanger) considers his fellowship at HCAS to be a foundational step in his career. #HCASAlumni
Read more: www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...
February 5, 2026 at 11:07 AM
”The warm feeling of companionship between fellows fostered my academic growth and continues to inspire me.”
Professor of Sociology Ugo Corte (University of Stavanger) considers his fellowship at HCAS to be a foundational step in his career. #HCASAlumni
Read more: www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...
Professor of Sociology Ugo Corte (University of Stavanger) considers his fellowship at HCAS to be a foundational step in his career. #HCASAlumni
Read more: www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...
HCAS Fellows Olesya Khanina and Michael Yoshitaka Erlewine have secured permanent academic positions. Khanina will begin a full professorship at the Univ. of Helsinki in Fall 2026, while Erlewine has taken up a permanent research position at the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS).
HCAS Fellows Secure Permanent Academic Positions | Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies | University of Helsinki
HCAS Fellows Olesya Khanina and Michael Yoshitaka Erlewine have secured permanent academic positions. Khanina will begin a full professorship at the University of Helsinki in Fall 2026, while Erlewine...
www.helsinki.fi
February 2, 2026 at 12:56 PM
HCAS Fellows Olesya Khanina and Michael Yoshitaka Erlewine have secured permanent academic positions. Khanina will begin a full professorship at the Univ. of Helsinki in Fall 2026, while Erlewine has taken up a permanent research position at the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS).
It was a full house at the Collegium last night for the Night of Science! Warm thanks to everyone who visited us and a special thanks to all the fellows who contributed to the evening.
January 23, 2026 at 12:48 PM
It was a full house at the Collegium last night for the Night of Science! Warm thanks to everyone who visited us and a special thanks to all the fellows who contributed to the evening.
Yesterday, HCAS had the distinct pleasure of hosting the Human Rights Committee of the German Bundestag, along with the representatives of the German Embassy in Helsinki. Annastiina Kallius's presentation on media-driven political influence was followed by a lively discussion among the participants.
January 20, 2026 at 11:15 AM
Yesterday, HCAS had the distinct pleasure of hosting the Human Rights Committee of the German Bundestag, along with the representatives of the German Embassy in Helsinki. Annastiina Kallius's presentation on media-driven political influence was followed by a lively discussion among the participants.
Last week, the Helsinki Collegium hosted the annual meeting for the Finnish Institutes for Advanced Study. This year's theme for discussion was 'contested knowledge'.
January 19, 2026 at 12:14 PM
Last week, the Helsinki Collegium hosted the annual meeting for the Finnish Institutes for Advanced Study. This year's theme for discussion was 'contested knowledge'.
The Night of Science at HCAS will conclude with a musical performance by Kristina Jacobsen. Joined by Carolina Stenbäck on cello and Emma Polyakov on fiddle, Jacobsen invites listeners into the soundscape of Spain’s Camino de Santiago.
🗓️ Thursday, January 22, 7:45–8:45 pm, HCAS Common Room.
🗓️ Thursday, January 22, 7:45–8:45 pm, HCAS Common Room.
January 16, 2026 at 12:53 PM
The Night of Science at HCAS will conclude with a musical performance by Kristina Jacobsen. Joined by Carolina Stenbäck on cello and Emma Polyakov on fiddle, Jacobsen invites listeners into the soundscape of Spain’s Camino de Santiago.
🗓️ Thursday, January 22, 7:45–8:45 pm, HCAS Common Room.
🗓️ Thursday, January 22, 7:45–8:45 pm, HCAS Common Room.
“The end toward which all human acts are directed is happiness” – but what is happiness, and what does it have to do with how people feel? What does it mean to live in the ‘happiest country in the world’?
🗓️ Night of Science at the Helsinki Collegium, Thursday, January 22.
🗓️ Night of Science at the Helsinki Collegium, Thursday, January 22.
January 15, 2026 at 9:39 AM
“The end toward which all human acts are directed is happiness” – but what is happiness, and what does it have to do with how people feel? What does it mean to live in the ‘happiest country in the world’?
🗓️ Night of Science at the Helsinki Collegium, Thursday, January 22.
🗓️ Night of Science at the Helsinki Collegium, Thursday, January 22.
Why does it make sense to use AI to understand how humans use language? What do sorcery and witchcraft have to do with conspiracy theories? How are religious communities responding to today’s environmental issues?
Meet the people who make the Helsinki Collegium on the Night of Science at HCAS.
Meet the people who make the Helsinki Collegium on the Night of Science at HCAS.
Night of Science at the Helsinki Collegium: Happiness? Politics, Promises, and Practices | Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies | University of Helsinki
The Collegium's Night of Science program on January 22, 2026, invites guests to walk through the Collegium building and to learn about current research of our fellows.
www.helsinki.fi
January 14, 2026 at 1:59 PM
Why does it make sense to use AI to understand how humans use language? What do sorcery and witchcraft have to do with conspiracy theories? How are religious communities responding to today’s environmental issues?
Meet the people who make the Helsinki Collegium on the Night of Science at HCAS.
Meet the people who make the Helsinki Collegium on the Night of Science at HCAS.
HCAS Fellows Nataša Pantić and Olle Blomberg have been awarded major research grants from the European Research Council (ERC) and the Swedish Research Council (Vetenskaprådet) in calls decided in the fall of 2025. Together, the grants amount to nearly €2.5 million.
Two HCAS Fellows awarded prestigious research grants | Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies | University of Helsinki
HCAS Fellows Nataša Pantić and Olle Blomberg have been awarded major research grants from the European Research Council (ERC) and the Swedish Research Council (Vetenskaprådet) in calls decided in the ...
www.helsinki.fi
January 12, 2026 at 10:23 AM
HCAS Fellows Nataša Pantić and Olle Blomberg have been awarded major research grants from the European Research Council (ERC) and the Swedish Research Council (Vetenskaprådet) in calls decided in the fall of 2025. Together, the grants amount to nearly €2.5 million.
“If there is such a thing as intellectual sustainability, then my 'Nordic connection' in Helsinki is a good example of it!”
#HCASAlumni of the Month Prof. Emer. Friedrich Stadler (@univie.ac.at) has come to think of Helsinki almost as a second home. Read more: www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...
#HCASAlumni of the Month Prof. Emer. Friedrich Stadler (@univie.ac.at) has come to think of Helsinki almost as a second home. Read more: www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...
January 9, 2026 at 11:08 AM
“If there is such a thing as intellectual sustainability, then my 'Nordic connection' in Helsinki is a good example of it!”
#HCASAlumni of the Month Prof. Emer. Friedrich Stadler (@univie.ac.at) has come to think of Helsinki almost as a second home. Read more: www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...
#HCASAlumni of the Month Prof. Emer. Friedrich Stadler (@univie.ac.at) has come to think of Helsinki almost as a second home. Read more: www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...
“The Collegium gives its fellows the opportunity to conduct cutting-edge research in a uniquely stimulating and open environment.
Featured as #HCASAlumni of the Month is Research Professor Walter Rech (Tallinn University). Read more: www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...
Featured as #HCASAlumni of the Month is Research Professor Walter Rech (Tallinn University). Read more: www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...
January 9, 2026 at 11:08 AM
“The Collegium gives its fellows the opportunity to conduct cutting-edge research in a uniquely stimulating and open environment.
Featured as #HCASAlumni of the Month is Research Professor Walter Rech (Tallinn University). Read more: www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...
Featured as #HCASAlumni of the Month is Research Professor Walter Rech (Tallinn University). Read more: www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...
Couldn’t make it to HCAS Erkko Professor Kevin Durrheim’s lecture “Polarization: In Mind, Social Media and Public Life”? The full recording is now online!
Professor Kevin Durrheim: Polarization: In mind, social media and public life
YouTube video by Helsinki Collegium
youtu.be
December 15, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Couldn’t make it to HCAS Erkko Professor Kevin Durrheim’s lecture “Polarization: In Mind, Social Media and Public Life”? The full recording is now online!
Great news! HCAS Core Fellow Rob Boddice is featured in the latest issue of The Atlantic.
This was a long time in the making and I'm delighted it's now out. Huge thanks to @galbeckerman.bsky.social for his perseverance and diligence. Please check it out. Print edition will be out soon. www.theatlantic.com/magazine/202...
A Radical New Approach to Human History
The historians who want to know how our ancestors experienced love, anger, fear, and sorrow
www.theatlantic.com
December 9, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Great news! HCAS Core Fellow Rob Boddice is featured in the latest issue of The Atlantic.
”The stay in Helsinki gave me time to develop a new tranche of ideas which continue to inspire my research and writing.”
Alan Warde, Prof. Emer. & former Jane and Aatos Erkko Professor, fondly reminisces about his time at HCAS. Read more in the #HCASAlumni Gallery: www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...
Alan Warde, Prof. Emer. & former Jane and Aatos Erkko Professor, fondly reminisces about his time at HCAS. Read more in the #HCASAlumni Gallery: www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...
December 8, 2025 at 12:23 PM
”The stay in Helsinki gave me time to develop a new tranche of ideas which continue to inspire my research and writing.”
Alan Warde, Prof. Emer. & former Jane and Aatos Erkko Professor, fondly reminisces about his time at HCAS. Read more in the #HCASAlumni Gallery: www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...
Alan Warde, Prof. Emer. & former Jane and Aatos Erkko Professor, fondly reminisces about his time at HCAS. Read more in the #HCASAlumni Gallery: www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...
"Looking back at my time at HCAS, it was clearly some of the best years in my academic life."
Featured in this month’s #HCASAlumni Gallery is Natalya Bekhta. For Natalya, the Collegium provided the ideal environment for growth and the development of ideas. Read more: www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...
Featured in this month’s #HCASAlumni Gallery is Natalya Bekhta. For Natalya, the Collegium provided the ideal environment for growth and the development of ideas. Read more: www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...
December 8, 2025 at 12:23 PM
"Looking back at my time at HCAS, it was clearly some of the best years in my academic life."
Featured in this month’s #HCASAlumni Gallery is Natalya Bekhta. For Natalya, the Collegium provided the ideal environment for growth and the development of ideas. Read more: www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...
Featured in this month’s #HCASAlumni Gallery is Natalya Bekhta. For Natalya, the Collegium provided the ideal environment for growth and the development of ideas. Read more: www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...
Professor Kevin Durrheim’s public lecture on polarization starts at 4:15 pm! Join us at Metsätalo Lecture Hall 1 or online via Unitube: video.helsinki.fi/unitube/live...
HCAS warmly welcomes everyone to a public lecture by social psychologist Kevin Durrheim, our current Jane and Aatos Erkko Visiting Professor.
Join us for the lecture in Metsätalo (Hall 1) or online, on December 3 at 4:15 pm.
For more details, visit our website: www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...
Join us for the lecture in Metsätalo (Hall 1) or online, on December 3 at 4:15 pm.
For more details, visit our website: www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...
December 3, 2025 at 12:52 PM
Professor Kevin Durrheim’s public lecture on polarization starts at 4:15 pm! Join us at Metsätalo Lecture Hall 1 or online via Unitube: video.helsinki.fi/unitube/live...
HCAS Fellow @boddice.bsky.social was recently featured on the BBC Radio 4 podcast Child. As a historian of emotions, Rob commented on how fear might have manifested in the lives and beliefs of Puritan children.
Listen to the full episode: www.bbc.com/audio/play/m...
Listen to the full episode: www.bbc.com/audio/play/m...
BBC Audio | Child | Series 2 | 2. Fear
India Rakusen pays a visit to fear, where shadows shape brains and tiny minds learn.
www.bbc.com
November 26, 2025 at 9:25 AM
HCAS Fellow @boddice.bsky.social was recently featured on the BBC Radio 4 podcast Child. As a historian of emotions, Rob commented on how fear might have manifested in the lives and beliefs of Puritan children.
Listen to the full episode: www.bbc.com/audio/play/m...
Listen to the full episode: www.bbc.com/audio/play/m...
HCAS Fellows have recently been active in public outreach. In October, the Finnish media alone featured Annastiina Kallius, Mona Mannevuo, and Teivo Teivainen, who commented on timely issues in global politics and the impact of fatigue on today's working life.
November 24, 2025 at 1:09 PM
HCAS Fellows have recently been active in public outreach. In October, the Finnish media alone featured Annastiina Kallius, Mona Mannevuo, and Teivo Teivainen, who commented on timely issues in global politics and the impact of fatigue on today's working life.
We’re opening our doors for the Night of Science 2026!
Meet our fellows at an open office hour, join a roundtable on happiness, and immerse yourself in the soundscape of Spain's Camino de Santiago through music.
Curious for more? Visit: www.tieteidenyo.fi/fi/ohjelma/h...
Meet our fellows at an open office hour, join a roundtable on happiness, and immerse yourself in the soundscape of Spain's Camino de Santiago through music.
Curious for more? Visit: www.tieteidenyo.fi/fi/ohjelma/h...
November 20, 2025 at 12:17 PM
We’re opening our doors for the Night of Science 2026!
Meet our fellows at an open office hour, join a roundtable on happiness, and immerse yourself in the soundscape of Spain's Camino de Santiago through music.
Curious for more? Visit: www.tieteidenyo.fi/fi/ohjelma/h...
Meet our fellows at an open office hour, join a roundtable on happiness, and immerse yourself in the soundscape of Spain's Camino de Santiago through music.
Curious for more? Visit: www.tieteidenyo.fi/fi/ohjelma/h...
Congratulations to HCAS Fellow Julia Lajus and her colleagues on their new publication, "Soviet Climate Change Science" (@routledgehistory.bsky.social ). The book examines the role of Soviet scientists in debates on climate change.
Find out more about the publication: doi.org/10.4324/9781...
Find out more about the publication: doi.org/10.4324/9781...
Soviet Climate Change Science | Domestic Debates, International Collab
Soviet Climate Change Science explores the character and range of Soviet contributions to the emerging understanding of large-scale anthropogenic climate change
doi.org
November 13, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Congratulations to HCAS Fellow Julia Lajus and her colleagues on their new publication, "Soviet Climate Change Science" (@routledgehistory.bsky.social ). The book examines the role of Soviet scientists in debates on climate change.
Find out more about the publication: doi.org/10.4324/9781...
Find out more about the publication: doi.org/10.4324/9781...
“Language constructs people and place – that’s where power lives.”
Our Erkko Professor Kevin Durrheim discusses his journey as a researcher, South Africa’s development, and what he calls “human murmuration” in a @helsinki.fi interview.
Our Erkko Professor Kevin Durrheim discusses his journey as a researcher, South Africa’s development, and what he calls “human murmuration” in a @helsinki.fi interview.
Understanding inequality and change through language: “Language constructs people and place — that’s where power lives” | University of Helsinki
Professor Kevin Durrheim, Jane and Aatos Erkko Visiting Professor at the University of Helsinki, studies how discourse, power and digital media influence public opinion and social change. On a more pe...
www.helsinki.fi
November 12, 2025 at 11:36 AM
“Language constructs people and place – that’s where power lives.”
Our Erkko Professor Kevin Durrheim discusses his journey as a researcher, South Africa’s development, and what he calls “human murmuration” in a @helsinki.fi interview.
Our Erkko Professor Kevin Durrheim discusses his journey as a researcher, South Africa’s development, and what he calls “human murmuration” in a @helsinki.fi interview.
This Wednesday night, our @koneensaatio.fi Art Fellow Corrie Tan hosted a cozy screening of Eila Babushka: The Past is a Foreign Country, joined by director Matti Elo and protagonist Kim Suponin. Who knew the Common Room would double so well as a private cinema!
November 7, 2025 at 10:50 AM
This Wednesday night, our @koneensaatio.fi Art Fellow Corrie Tan hosted a cozy screening of Eila Babushka: The Past is a Foreign Country, joined by director Matti Elo and protagonist Kim Suponin. Who knew the Common Room would double so well as a private cinema!
“When I think back on my time at HCAS I remember my beautiful office, which gave me the solitude to get work done; but I also remember the new friends I made, some of whom I am still in touch with.”
Assoc. Prof. Juliette Kennedy is #HCASAlumni of the Month!
www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...
Assoc. Prof. Juliette Kennedy is #HCASAlumni of the Month!
www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...
November 6, 2025 at 8:33 AM
“When I think back on my time at HCAS I remember my beautiful office, which gave me the solitude to get work done; but I also remember the new friends I made, some of whom I am still in touch with.”
Assoc. Prof. Juliette Kennedy is #HCASAlumni of the Month!
www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...
Assoc. Prof. Juliette Kennedy is #HCASAlumni of the Month!
www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...
“The Collegium is an oasis in the current academic milieu where academic freedom is increasingly curtailed and closeted."
Assoc. Prof. Frog is featured in the November 2025 edition of the #HCASAlumni Gallery!
Read more: www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...
Assoc. Prof. Frog is featured in the November 2025 edition of the #HCASAlumni Gallery!
Read more: www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...
November 6, 2025 at 8:33 AM
“The Collegium is an oasis in the current academic milieu where academic freedom is increasingly curtailed and closeted."
Assoc. Prof. Frog is featured in the November 2025 edition of the #HCASAlumni Gallery!
Read more: www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...
Assoc. Prof. Frog is featured in the November 2025 edition of the #HCASAlumni Gallery!
Read more: www.helsinki.fi/en/helsinki-...