Shahnaj Begum

Shahnaj Begum is a University Researcher at the Faculty of Education, University of Lapland, specializing in Arctic Studies, human rights, and ageing populations. Her work focuses on intersectional approaches to age-friendly environments, particularly for non-European immigrant seniors in Finland. She leads or collaborates in multiple international projects including the UArctic Thematic Network on Ageing and Gender in the Arctic.

Education: Holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Social Sciences.

Research Interests: Combines gender studies with gerontology, examining how ethnicity, migration background, and climate change affect the wellbeing of older people in Arctic regions. Key themes include caregiver inequality in Nordic welfare systems and digital exclusion among aging populations.

Recent Research Trends: Recent publications (2023) emphasize participatory methodologies to understand spatial equity in Nordic peripheries, digital communication challenges for seniors, and cultural well-being of indigenous elderly in Lapland's transformation.

Grants & Projects: Principal Investigator for AGE-Immigrant (2022-2025), NIKK-GIACG (2019-2021), and co-investigator in AGE Arctic (2020-2024). Secured funding from Nordregio, Nordic Gender Equality Fund, and Academy of Finland.