Curriculum vitae
Forssén, Katja
Professor of Social Work, Department of Social Research, University of Turku, Finland
Department of Social Research
FIN-20014 University of Turku
tel. +358 40 5117303
email: [email protected]
Katja Forssen took her PhD degree in social policy at the University of Turku in 1998. During
the period between 1988- 2000 she worked at the Department of Social Policy at the
University of Turku in various research and teaching positions such as research assistant,
researcher and lecturer. Between 1998-1999 she was visiting Fellow at the Australian
National University and between 1999 – 2001 she was postdoctoral researcher (Academy of
Finland). Since 2001 she has been professor in social work at the University of Turku.
Previous she was head of the Department (2007-2009) and Vice Dean of the Faculty of Social
Sciences at the University of Turku (2004-2006).
She has received research funding from several sources:
-Academy of Finland: Gender, family structure and social policy. Changes in the gender
system of the income transfer institutions in Finland in the 1990s (2002-2004, 53509).
- Academy of Finland: Marginalisation in early childhood (Syreeni, 51057).
-Academy of Finland: Perhepolitiikka hyvinvointivaltioiden vedenjakajana (1999-2002).
-Nordic Centre of Excellence in Welfare Research. Reassessment of the Nordic Welfare
Model, Stream 2, (2007-2012).
-Turku City Council: War against social exclusion in Turku (2015-2016).
-Alli Paasikivi-Säätiö & Huoltaja-Säätiö: Funding for Phd-thesis (1995-1996).
She has been opponent and examiner of PhD-thesis at the Universities of Tallinn (2011),
Göteborg (2007), Lapland (2010), Tampere (2008), Jyväskylä (2015) and Eastern Finland
(2014). She has evaluated 12 competencies of professorship and 6 docents’ competences.
She has been several times a member of international peer review panels and expert groups:
-Swedish Research Council For Health, Working Life and Welfare (COFAS International
Postdoc Programme (2013)).
-Estonian Higher Education Accreditation Center. Evaluation of Study Programme in Social
Work In Estonia. Institute evaluated was Tallinn University (2007)
-Estonian Higher Education Accreditation Center. Evaluation of Research in Social Work in
Estonia. Institute evaluated was Tallinn Pedagogical University (2004)
-Evaluation of the application for Master degree programme in international social welfare
and health policy (Oslo University College (2004)
-Evaluation of Master degree programme in welfare studies at the University of Lillehammer.
NOKUT (2005)
-The Academy of Finland, member of an evaluation panel. Research Council for Culture and
Society (twice).
Her current research focuses on the well-being of children, youth and families with children.
Other areas of research include child poverty and family policy in comparative perspective. A
selected list of her publications comprises topics as follows:
Deding, M. & Forssén, K. 2013 Child Welfare. In: Björneberg, U. & Ottosen M. H.
(eds) Challenge for future family policies in the Nordic countries. The Danish National Centre
for Social Research (SFI), 99-131.
Forssén, K. 2012 Combatting child poverty in Europe. In: Baldschun, A. & Jaakola,
A-M. & Leinonen, L. (eds.): Constructing European Social Welfare and Social Work in the
Midst of Diverse Traditions, Policies and practices. ERIS materials, Volume 1.
Forssén, K. 2012 Katsaus taloudellisen niukkuuden ja suomalaisten lapsiperheiden
hyvinvoinnin trendeihin vuosina 1995-2010. Teoksessa: Forssén, K. – Roivainen, I. – Ylinen,
S. – Heinonen, J. (2011) (toim.) Kohtaako sosiaalityö köyhyyden? Sosiaalityön tutkimuksen
seuran vuosikirja 2011. UniPress. 105-126.
Forssén K. 2011 The role of family policies in preventing child poverty. European
Family Conference: Social Inclusion of Families and EU policies. Where do we stand?
Proceedings.
Forssén, K. – Haataja, A. & Hakovirta, M. 2009. Yksinhuoltajien asema
suomalaisessa hyvinvointivaltiossa. Teoksessa: Forssén, K. – Haataja, A. & Hakovirta, M.
(toim). Yksinhuoltajuus Suomessa. Väestöntutkimuslaitoksen julkaisusarja D 50. (9-18)
Forssén, K. – Ritakallio, V-M. 2009. Yksinhuoltajien moniulotteinen köyhyys
Euroopassa. Teoksessa: Forssén, K. – Haataja, A. & Hakovirta, M. 2009 (toim).
Yksinhuoltajuus Suomessa. Väestöntutkimuslaitoksen julkaisusarja D 50. 77-94.
Forssén, K.- Jaakola, A-M & Ritakallio, V-M. 2008. Family Policy in Finland. In:
Ostner, I. & Schmitt, C. (eds.) Family Policies in the Context of Family Change. The Nordic
Countries in Comparative Perspective. Vs Verlag fyr Sozialwissenschaften. In
Zusammenarbeit mit der Zeitschrift fyr Familienforschung –Journal of Family Research. 7588.
Forssén, K. and V-M. Ritakallio 2006. First Births. A Comparative study
of the Patterns of Transition to Parenthood in Europe. In: Bradshaw, J. Hatland, A. (Eds):
Social Policy, Employment and Family Change in Comparative Perspective. Edward Elgar,
161-177.
Forssén, K.- Haataja, A. & Hakovirta, M. 2005. Policy Changes, Employment and
Single Parenthood in Finland. Yearbook of Population Research in Finland XLI, 2005. The
Population Research Institute, Helsinki. 29-45.
Ferrarini, T. & Forssén, K. 2005. Family policy and cross-national patterns of
poverty In: Kangas, O. & Palme, J. (Eds.). Social Policy and Economic Development in the
Nordic Countries. Basingstoke, MacMillan / Palgrave 2005. 118-146.
Tähtinen, J.- Broberg, M.- Forssén, K. & Hakovirta, M. 2004. Family Resources as
Positive Factors and Risk Factors for Young Children’s Well-being. In: Puuronen, V. Häkkinen, A. - Pylkkänen, A. - Sandlund, T. & Toivanen, R. (eds): New Challenges for the
Welfare Society. University of Joensuu, Publications of Karelian Institute N:o 142. 257-274.
Forssén, K. – Laine, K. & Tähtinen, J. 2002. Hyvinvoinnin tekijät ja uhat
lapsuudessa. Teoksessa: Juhila, K. Forsberg, H. & Roivainen, I. (toim.) Marginaalit ja
sosiaalityö. SoPhi, Jyväskylän yliopisto, 2002. 81-107.
Forssén, K. – Hakovirta, M. 2002. Family Policy, Work Incentives and the
Employment of Mothers. In: Sigg, R. & Behrendt, C. (eds) Social Security in the Global
Village. International Social Security Series Volume 8. Transaction Publishers, New
Brunswick. 297- 312.