Teemu Taira

Teemu Taira is a Senior University Lecturer in the Study of Religions at the Faculty of Theology, University of Helsinki, and serves as Supervisor for the Doctoral Programme in Theology and Religious Studies. He also holds the position of Docent (Adjunct Professor) at the Department of Study of Religion, University of Turku since 2010. His academic work spans over twenty years with a focus on religion in media, atheism/ secularism/nonreligion, and discursive study of the 'religion' category.

Taira's research interests center on public discourses on religion, atheism and nonreligion, and religion-media interactions. His work examines how religion is represented and discussed in various media contexts, with particular attention to nonreligious identities and atheistic perspectives. He has conducted longitudinal studies on religion in Finnish media and explored the normalization of nonreligious identity in Finland, contributing significantly to the understanding of secularization patterns in Nordic contexts. His research often employs discourse analysis to examine how religious categories are constructed in public spheres.

Taira's publication output shows consistent productivity with 121 research outputs, including numerous articles and books. His recent work (2022-2025) demonstrates a strong focus on atheism studies, with multiple contributions to the 'Atheism in Five Minutes' series and related publications. His research spans both theoretical explorations of religious categories and empirical studies of media representations, showing an interdisciplinary approach that bridges religious studies, media studies, and sociology of religion.

Taira is actively involved in doctoral supervision and teaching, with 79 instances of Master's thesis supervision and 12 instances as supervisor or co-supervisor of doctoral theses. His activities include peer review of manuscripts (56 instances), organization of academic events, and numerous invited talks. He has participated in significant research projects including 'Discourse on Religion and the Secular in the Finnish Media: Longitudinal and Comparative Study' (2011-2014) and 'Religious socialization in the era of climate change.'