Suomen antropologi: The Journal of the Finnish Anthropological Society has just released a special Jubilee Issue!
Founded in 1975, the core focus of the Finnish Anthropological Society has remained trained on promoting high-quality research in the field of anthropology and in disciplines closely aligned with it. To celebrate this important 50-year anniversary for the Society, the editorial team of Suomen antropologi brought together a collective of anthropologists to produce this special Jubilee Issue.
Articles:
- The Jubilee Issue opens with an article written by Niina M. Ahola and Saara Toukolehto scrutinising the history, meanings, and practices of public anthropology, using the Finnish online science communication publication AntroBlogi as a case study.
Essays:
- The first essay in this publication is a dialogue between Timo Kaartinen and Eija-Maija Kotilainen, titled ‘The 1970s’ Rebirth of Finnish Anthropology’. The result is a rare peek into a wonderfully insightful recollection of memories between Kaartinen and Kotilainen, who return to the Finnish Anthropological Society’s nascent years.
- Tim Ingold’s essay, ‘A British Anthropologist in Finland’, continues scanning the past through his evocative personal reflections and experiences as a British anthropologist in Finland, as a fieldworker, as a teacher, and as a colleague. Ingold places these experiences within the broader context of developments in both Finnish and British anthropology across more than five decades of work.
- Laura Menard focuses on the Finnish ethnographer Hilma Granqvist and her pioneering work in Palestine in the 1920s. In her essay, ‘To Avoid a Strange European Explanation: Hilma Granqvist’s Early Ethnographic Research in Palestine’, Menard offers a timely and eye-opening reminder of Granqvist’s life and influence as one of the most foundational albeit overlooked Finnish anthropologists, whose work was only recently rediscovered for its ethnographic creativity and richness
- The final essay in this issue is written by a collective of anthropologists at the University of Helsinki. Sarah Green, Matti Eräsaari, Lalli Metsola, Sanna Vellava, Heidi Härkönen, Maija-Eliina Sequeira, Pekka Tuominen, and Samuli Lähteenaho’s essay, ‘A Snapshot of Helsinki Anthropology in Interesting Times: Looking Forwards’, looks to the past offering a snapshot of the future
Book Review:
- Alicja Staniszewska reviews Soumhya Venkatesan’s Decolonizing Anthropology: An Introduction. Venkatesan serves as the keynote speaker at this year’s Finnish Anthropological Society Biennial Conference, held in Helsinki in mid-June 2025, in celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Society
To add to the festivity of this Jubilee Issue, we are also showcasing a series of seven illustrations by Erkki Toukolehto. Click the link to the full PDF version and you will find Erkki’s images dividing the texts.
Big big thank you to the Suomen Antropologi editorial team and to all our authors and reviewers!
As always, Suomen antropologi is a fully open access journal with no APCs or embargoes.
Please enjoy reading the new Jubilee Issue, cite it and share it across your networks!
