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Venla Oikkonen

Associate Professor
Tampere University
venla.oikkonen [at] tuni.fi (venla[dot]oikkonen[at]tuni[dot]fi)
phone number+358504377616

About me

I'm a science and technology studies (STS) and gender studies scholar. I'm the PI of the project Gendered Chronic Disease, Embodied Differences and Biomedical Knowledge (GenDis), funded by the Academy of Finland and Kone Foundation. My Academy Research Fellow's project (2018-2023) explored cultural debates about vaccines and changing ideas of immunity and risk.

Research topics

chronic pain, gendered chronic illness, endometriosis

vaccine debates, vaccines in culture

population genetics, ancient DNA, genetic ancestry tests

evolutionary theories in culture and society

bodies, materiality, affect, narrative

Research fields

Science and Technology Studies

Gender Studies

Cultural Studies

Research career

Associate Professor, TaSTI, Tampere University (2022-)

Academy Research Fellow, Tampere University (2018-2023)

Core Fellow, Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies (2016-2018)

Docent in Gender Studies, University of Helsinki (since 2015)

Academy of Finland Postdoctoral Researcher (2012-2016)

University Lecturer, Gender Studies, University of Helsinki (2011-2012)

Kone Foundation Postdoctoral Researcher (2011)

PhD, Gender Studies, University of Helsinki (2010)

Latest publications