Hanna-Riikka Roine

Hanna-Riikka Roine is an Associate Professor in Digital Culture at the University of Bergen, affiliated with the Department of Linguistic, Literary and Aesthetic Studies and the Center for Digital Narrative. Her research bridges digital media, narrative theory, and speculative fiction, with a focus on games, imagination, and democratic discourse.

Her research interests include:

• Digital culture and computational media
• Narrative theory and worldbuilding
• Game studies, particularly narrative agency in video games
• Speculative fiction as a tool for imagining futures
• Transmediality and digital storytelling
• The role of fiction in democratic imagination

Her recent publications explore narrative forms in social media, romance mechanics in games like Dragon Age, and the limits of narrativizing environmental systems. She investigates how digital technologies entangle with human imagination, especially in speculative contexts.

Notable research projects include:

• CO-SPEC (Academy of Finland, 2020–2023): On human-computer entanglement in speculation
• Imagine, Democracy! (Kone Foundation, 2023–2026): On narrative fiction as a democratic imagination tool in Finland

She has co-edited special issues and books on digital environments, games, and speculative fiction, demonstrating leadership in interdisciplinary scholarship. While no formal scientific awards are listed, her funded projects and editorial roles signify academic recognition.

She has collaborated with researchers such as Laura Piippo, Esko Suoranta, and Susanna Lindberg, contributing to a vibrant research network. She has also developed innovative pedagogical methods, such as using Twine game jams for assessment in higher education.

Her work is situated within a strong digital humanities framework, connecting literary theory with contemporary media and societal challenges.