MEVI2022: 150 Finnish Researchers Met in Sunny Turku

“Interesting content, well-functioning arrangements, a summer city, living people!” This feedback sums up the feelings of those who attended MEVI2022, the Finnish Conference for Media and Communication Studies. The conference was held in Turku, Finland, in April.

The Finnish Conference for Media and Communication Studies attracted almost 150 Finnish researchers and doctoral candidates to Turku. The large number of guests showed − something that was verbalised in the corridor speeches and written feedback − the pent-up need and desire to meet colleagues face to face. For many, this was the first on-site conference in more than two years.

“A very good share of Finnish colleagues had arrived here, so this marked a kind of end to the pandemic and the end of remote life: it felt really familiar and exceptional at the same time. People seemed to genuinely appreciate the physical presence more than before”, one participant summed up.

The theme of the two-day conference, held on April 22–23, was “Media, responsibility and accountability”, which included 85 presentations, keynote speeches by Karin Wahl-Jorgensen and Johan Farkas, and an open panel discussion at the Turku City Library.

The panel discussion (main photo) at the Turku City Library was hosted by Mikko Hautakangas, a Tampere-based researcher in media and journalism. The panelists were Tiina Raevaara, author and science blogger, Atte Jääskeläinen, Director General of the Ministry of Education and Culture, and Salla-Maaria Laaksonen, a researcher in communications and technology.

Swinging atmosphere after the conference dinner.

“Great keynotes, good working groups, nice people – and dancing crowned everything!” one feedback stated, referring to the disco that followed the conference dinner (see photo). Another feedback below allows us to look forward to the next conference, which will be held in 2024.

“In good company, the valuable pieces form a great whole”.

Photos by Anni Halonen.