Dr. Marja Katisko
Principal Lecturer in Diaconia University of Applied Sciences, Finland. Adjunct Professor at the University of Helsinki, Finland.
She brings a social science and social work lens to research that focuses on community aspirations and high risk / high impact scenarios, including those that involve marginalization and cross-cultural conflict. Her past and ongoing projects focused on child protecting services among immigrant families, homelessness among immigrant youth and building dialogue around radicalization and social rights of undocumented immigrants. Her expertise is in contextualizing global social work research, education and practice. Her research interests are related to the intertwining of globalization and local context. Dr. Katisko has a wide work experience as a researcher in multidisciplinary and international research projects to highlight empowering perspectives and practices in research.
Received research funding
- 2022–2023 The paradoxes of the welfare state: sex a means of survival among homeless women, youth and undocumented immigrants. Ministry of Social and Welfare, PL Dr. Marja Katisko.
- 2021–2022 Undocumented Migrants and Their Social Rigths in Finland. Ministry of Social and Welfare, PL Dr. Marja Katisko
- 2018 With Dialogue against Radicalization. Ministry of Foreign Affairs. PL Adjunct Professor Marja Katisko
- 2014–2016 Undocumented Migration in Finland and in Europe. Metropolitan Urban Research Program, Finland. PL Dr. Marja Katisko
- 2013–2014 Homelessness among the Immigrant Youth. Metropolitan Urban Research Program. PL Dr Marja Katisko
- 2011–2013 Families with Immigrant background as Clients of Child Protection Services.Metropolitan Urban Research Program, Finland. PL Dr Marja Katisko
- 2008–2011 Spatial Citizenship in European Labour Markets. Research Programme on the Future of Work and Well-Being. Academy of Finland. PL. Professor Asko Suikkanen, University of Lapland.
Selected peer-reviewed publications
- Kalm-Akubardia, Maija & Katisko, Marja (2023) Unrealized social rights in a welfare state: Actual capabilities of undocumented immigrants. In Kainulainen, S. (Ed.). (2023). In the Backyard of Finnish Happiness – Empirical Observations from the Happiest Country on Earth. (Diak Publications 4). Diaconia University of Applied Sciences.
http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-493-426-8, pp. 94-104. - Laine, Elina & Katisko, Marja (2023) On the margins of the society: the transactional sex as a means of survival. In Kainulainen, S. (Ed.). (2023). In the Backyard of Finnish Happiness – Empirical Observations from the Happiest Country on Earth. (Diak Publications 4). Diaconia University of Applied Sciences. http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-493-426-8pp. 105- 119.
- Lagus, Laura & Heino, Eveliina & Katisko, Marja (2023): Representations of the public debate regarding the Finnish children in al-Hol Camp. Study of newspaper articles. Critical Social Work – An interdisciplinary journal dedicated to social justice. Vol. 24 No 1 (2022) https://ojs.uwindsor.ca/index.php/csw/index
- Bagans, Laura & Heino, Eveliina & Katisko, Marja (2023): Yksin tulleiden pakolaisnuorten arjen kansalaisuuden rakentuminen maahanmuuttajapalveluiden jälkihuollossa. [The construction of the everyday citizenship of young refugee] Youth Research Association. Nuorisotutkimusseura ry. Nuorisotutkimusverkosto. Nuorisotutkimus-lehti.
- Katisko, Marja & Annala, Iiris & Kalm-Akubardia, Maija & Kynsilehto, Anitta & Pehkonen, Tuula & Viljanen Katriina (2023): Paperittominen sosiaalisten oikeuksien toteutuminen Suomessa. [Social Rights of Undocumented immigrants in Finland] Publications of The Government’s analysis, assessment and research activities. Valtioneuvoston selvitys- ja tutkimustoiminnan julkaisusarja 2023:6. https://julkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi/handle/10024/164606
- Kaartinen Miina & Katisko Marja & Nieminen Ari (2018): Sosiaalityö maailmanyhteiskunnassa [Social Work in World Society] In Sosiaalityön tutkimuksen vuosikirja 2018 [Social Work Annual Book – Changing expertise in Social Work]. Helsinki: United Press Global.
- Katisko Marja (2017): Opportunities and Threats in the municipal context: Challenge for the welfare state. A study on undocumented migrants in Finland and Europe. In Yhteiskuntapolitiikka. [Journal of Social Policy. National Institute for Health and Welfare in Finland] Suomen Yliopistopaino Oy.
- Katisko Marja (2016): Koditta kotoutujat. Tutkimus maahanmuuttajataustaisista nuorista metropolialueella. [Youth Immigrants Homelessness in Metropolitan Area] In Maija Jäppinen & Anna Metteri & Pirkko-Liisa Rauhala & Satu Ranta-Tyrkkö (eds.) Sosiaalityön tutkimuksen vuosikirja 2016. Kansainvälinen sosiaalityö – käsitteitä ja käytäntöjä meiltä ja muualta [Social Work Research Annual Book – International Social Work – Concepts and Practicies. United Press Global, 187-202
- Hammar Sari & Katisko Marja (2016): Pakolaisesta täysivaltaiseksi asukkaaksi [From Refugee to Full Citizen]. In Raili Gothoni & Ulla Siirto (eds) Pakolaisuudesta kotiin [From Refugee to Home] Helsinki: Gaudeamus, 213 – 230
- Katisko Marja (2015): Homelessness among immigrant youth: transitions between inclusion and exclusion. In European Journal of Homelessness. 2015: Vol. 9. Issue 1, pp. 61-76
- Katisko Marja (2013): Families of Immigrant Background as Clients of Child Protection Services. In: Maritta Törrönen et. al (eds.) Empowering Social Work: Research and Practice. Palmenia Centre for Continuing Education. University of Helsinki., 112-135
- Katisko Marja (2014): Asunnottomat maahanmuuttajat metropolialueella. [Homelessness among the Immigrants in Helsinki Metropolitan Area]. In Susanna Hyväri & Sakari Kainulainen (eds.) A Place to live in? Views of Homelessness and Housing Services. Diaconia University of Applied Sciences A Studies 39. Tampere: Juvenis Print. 111-145.
- Katisko Marja (2016): Kulttuurienvälinen kompetenssi sosiaalityössä. [Cultural Competence in Social Work]. In Maritta Törrönen et. al (eds.) Vastavuoroinen sosiaalityö [Reciprocal Social Work]. Helsinki: Gaudeamus, pp. 178-188
- Heino Eveliina & Kärmeniemi Natalia & Katisko Marja & Borodkina Olga (2015): Factors Affecting the Integration of Migrants and Features of Social Work among Migrants in Finland. In: Valentina Samoylova et. al. (eds) Turbulence and Challenging Transitions of Everyday Life. Special Issue/The Journal of Sociology and Social Anthropology. No 5, 162-186
Examples of scientific and societal influence work
Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Finland
Membership of the co-ordination working group dealing with the Finland’s global role in Education. Representative of Universities of Applied Sciences in Finland. 2019–continues.
Finnish Parliament. Committee for the Future
The Government’s report on sustainable development from the global action program Agenda 2030 sustainable development in Finland. Expert participation 2017.
European Observatory on Homelessness, The European Federation of National Organizations working with the Homeless
National Expert of Finland for the Comparative research of the FEANTSA Observatory: 1st April – 30th October 2016 .