معرفی
Dr. Julia Bethwaite is a Postdoctoral Researcher in International Relations at Tampere University's Faculty of Management and Business. She previously served as Academic Coordinator for the Master’s Degree Programme in Leadership for Change (2017–2022). Her research focuses on the intersection of art and power in international relations, particularly analyzing transnational cultural diplomacy, elite networks, and the role of artistic sites like the Venice Biennale and museums in global governance.
Education: Completed doctoral dissertation at Tampere University in 2024 titled Forms of power in the transnational field of art: Exploring 'Russian' actors and artistic sites beyond Russia’s territorial borders, examining Russian state and elite strategies through transnational art fields. Prior roles include Research Assistant and Doctoral Student in the Finnish Centre of Excellence in Russian Studies (2012–2017).
Research Interests: Specializes in cultural diplomacy, museum diplomacy, international political economy of art, transnational elite networks, and the political dimensions of art biennials. She employs international political sociology frameworks to explore how non-state actors leverage cultural capital in global politics.
Grants & Funding: Principal Investigator for Kone Foundation grant (2023), and participated in major projects including the Academy of Finland's 'Russia's cultural statecraft' (2017–2020) and Kone Foundation's 'Making Spaces of Justice' (2016–2018). Currently funded by Cultura Foundation to finalize her postdoctoral research.
Leadership Roles: Secretary of the Finnish Association for Russian and East European Studies (VIETS/FAREES), and Board Member of the Finnish East European and Central Asian Club (FinEECA). Co-edited Leading Change in a Complex World: Transdisciplinary Perspectives (2019).
