Tiina Mahlamäki PhD, Associate Professor (docent)
Lecturer in Study of Religion
School of History, Culture and Arts Studies
University of Turku, Finland
Email: tituma[at]utu.fi
Phone: +358 40 549 8902
Teaching:
- History of religions in Finland
- History of religions in Europe
- Religion and gender
- Esotericism
- Research ethics
- Academic and creative writing
- Methodology in study of religion
- Supervising, graduating and mentoring master theses and PhD dissertations
My dissertation Naisia kansalaisuuden kynnyksellä. Eeva Joenpellon Lohja-sarjan tulkinta [Women on the threshold of nationhood. An interpretation of the Lohja series by Eeva Joenpelto] 2005, was an interdisciplinary research, connecting the methods and theories of comparative religion, literary critics and women’s studies. In the dissertation I explored the ways female citizenship is manifested in literature. My subsequent biography of Eeva Joenpelto was published in 2009. In my research I have continued focusing on questions on religion, nationality/citizenship and literature.
After my PhD project I interested in Study of Esotericism. Of particular interest has been the presence and impact of Swedish scientist and visionary Emanuel Swedenborg (1688–1772) in the published and unpublished writings of 19th century national authors in Finland. Most recently I’ve doing research on a Finnish female author and antroposophist Kersti Bergroth, as well as on questions on secularity, atheism and gender.
My latest publications include Uushenkisyys (New Spirituality, Finnish Literature Society, 2022), edited together with Minna Opas, Occultism and esotericism in Finland (Vastapaino, 2020) edited together with Nina Kokkinen, and Religion and Imagination (SKS, 2020) edited together with Aila Viholainen and Jaana Kouri, and a biography of Kersti Bergroth Kaikki maallinen on vain vertauskuvaa [All that is transitory is but a symbol], 2017, and an edited volume on creative nonfiction, Kuvittelua ja kurinalaista [Imagined and disciplined], 2017 together with Emilia Karjula. All these volumes are in Finnish.
At the moment I’m finishing two works: A book written together with Emilia Karjula and Jaana Kouri on the methods and practices of creative writing inspiring and supporting academic writing and research, and an anthology edited with Sonja Hukantaival, Karolina Kouvola and Aleksi Moine on magic and witchcraft in Finland.
My latest publication is a narrative nonfiction Neuloosi on knitting addiction and many meanings and dimensions of knitting as a hobby, identity, and ritual (2023, Kustannus Into). I will spend the spring 2024 writing narrative non-fiction on esotericism and paranormal in Finland. As a free-time hobby I’m writing autofiction describing young female bassist in early 1980s new wave scene.
Research interests:
- esotericism
- esotericism, spirituality, and literature
- religion and nationalism
- civil religion
- religion and gender
- secularity and non-religion
- contemporary religiosity and spirituality in Finland
- concept of imagination
- creative writing / creative academic writing
I’m a member of the executive board of the Donner Institute, the President of Turun yliopistojen dosenttiyhdistys/Docentföreningen vid Universiteten I Åbo; the President of Suomen dosenttiliitto/The Docent Union in Finland/Finlands Docentförbund; member of the editorial board of Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis, eRhizome, and Elore, and the president of Eeva Joenpelto -society.
In my free time I read (or listen to audio-books), I knit, I swim, I take photographs, and I walk.
Tiina Mahlamäki 