Lotta Junnilainen

Lotta Junnilainen is an Academy Research Fellow and University Lecturer at the Department of Geosciences and Geography, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki. She is affiliated with the Helsinki Institute of Urban and Regional Studies (Urbaria) and the Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science. Her academic work spans urban sociology, social geography, and ethnographic research methodologies.

Junnilainen is currently leading the Academy of Finland-funded project 'The moral drama of street gangs. A multidimensional approach to the "gang problem" in Finland' (MoDS 2023-2027), which examines street gang phenomena through multiple perspectives beyond just those labeled as 'gang members.' She also serves as supervisor for doctoral programs in Social Sciences and Political, Societal and Regional Change.

Her research interests focus on inequality, urban spaces, democracy, and community dynamics, with particular attention to marginalized youth, low-income neighborhoods, and social class structures. Her ethnographic approach involves deep immersion in the everyday lives of research subjects, examining cultural practices and social interactions within urban environments.

Junnilainen's scholarly output demonstrates a consistent focus on urban sociology and social inequality, with publications covering topics from street gangs to neighborhood dynamics, precarious work in the service industry, and immigrant integration in Finnish cities. Her research shows a progression from studying urban poverty and neighborhood dynamics to more complex examinations of moral frameworks surrounding social issues.

• Sociology-lehden toimituskauden 2019-2021 paras artikkeli (Best article of the 2019-2021 editorial period of the Sociology journal), March 25, 2022

Junnilainen actively participates in doctoral education, supervising theses related to inequality, social class, urban research, and qualitative methodologies. Her extensive conference participation across Europe demonstrates her engagement with broader academic communities in urban sociology and social research methods. She has held visiting researcher positions at NYU's Department of Sociology and Humboldt University, reflecting her international scholarly connections.