Name
Elizabeth Whitney, Associate Professor
Department
Speech, Communications and Theatre Arts
Type of Leave
Fellowship Award for Research
Full year starting Fall 2020
Project Description
My research in Finland began when I was a Fulbright Scholar (2015-2016) at University of Turku. My initial project was a cultural comparison between the US and Finland regarding freedom of expression and arts funding. Two shorter return trips focusing on anti- nationalist activism, and queer and feminist arts communities, respectively, were funded by a BMCC Faculty Development Grant (2017) and a PSC-CUNY grant (2018). During summer 2019 I was a visiting researcher at Aalto University in Helsinki. While my research was interrupted by the global pandemic, I was fortunate to return last year as a visiting researcher at University of Helsinki in Area and Cultural Studies.
Area & Cultural Studies faculty and students are an internationally diverse group of scholars and students. The University of Helsinki was managing the pandemic so most activities were virtual. A highlight of my sabbatical was my participation in a bi-monthly cultural studies seminar that included peer-review of work in development. The seminar was largely for graduate students in Area & Cultural Studies and included some visiting researchers. In addition to reading and reviewing the other scholars’ work, I presented a draft of an article and received feedback on my work. “How I Found Myself in Finland: A Mediated Essay,” which is now published in Liminalities: A Journal of Performance Studies. My essay uses autoethnography as a queer feminist methodology to take up the question of knowledge formation and explores ways to document a creative research practice for publication. The essay includes excerpts from my field notes, original images, and digital stories about doing research on art and activism in Finland.
I was able to attend a few in-person events at the university toward the end of the year, including an Iftar celebration on campus for Ramadan hosted by colleagues in Middle-Eastern and Islamic Studies. I also attended in-person events at The Museum of Impossible Forms, a social justice-oriented collective art space in the Kontula neighborhood of Helsinki. The Museum of Impossible Forms is closely related to the university and is funded by grant money from Kone Foundation. I attended a queer community Iftar dinner there as well as a talk by a colleague on Islamic feminism.
Fulbright Finland is a touchstone for me in Helsinki, and I was an active participant in various activities. I was interviewed for a video inviting new Fulbrights to apply for grants, I participated as an orientation leader for incoming Fulbrights, and I am serving as a reviewer for Finnish doctoral students doing research at US universities. I am a member of the Fulbright Finland Welcome Committee and I encourage more faculty to considering applying.
Finland will continue to be a central site for my research. This fall, I presented “Avanto and Embodied Practice: Autoethnography and Digital Storytelling as Creative Research Methods” at the Feminist Matterings conference at University of Oulu. I am also serving on the advisory board for a new project about anti-semitism in Finland, funded by The Kone Foundation.
I am often asked by people in the US what it is like to spend time in Finland. I find it to be a dynamic place committed to innovative solutions to impending global challenges. Climate change and conservation are government priorities. Violent crime is stunningly low. Nature is considered a part of daily life and cities often feel like giant parks. Infrastructure is well funded, public transportation is reliable, and higher education is free for all EU citizens. Like much of the world, Finland also struggles with rising populism, but it is a minority voice and countered by a commitment to diversification as key to a healthy society. Helsinki, in particular, is a vibrant and international city that is increasingly a center of industry.
Finland continues to be an important cite of inspiration for my research and I’m particularly intrigued by the concept of this supposed “happiness” that exists there. I don’t think that’s the correct word though, it’s too ephemeral. People in Finland are generally closer to content than happy. In a tumultuous world, it’s easy to see the high quality of daily life there. In my new research on ice swimming, I will continue to explore this search for contentment and balance.
I will conclude by sharing a Finnish expression, “oppia ikä kaikki.” It translates directly to mean that our years are full of learning. It’s something like the English expression, “live and learn,” although I recall hearing that as a child as more of a reminder to pay attention. I think the Finnish version reminds us that we learn through life growth.
Biography
Elizabeth Whitney holds a Ph.D. in Performance Studies. Her work in Finland began as a Fulbright Scholar (2015-2016) researching arts funding and freedom of expression. She is currently working on a autoethnography about ice swimming.
