Applied Geography and Regional Planning

Research in applied geography and regional planning

The aim of the research into applied geography and regional planning is to study the spatial organization of society from critical and academic perspectives. The main focus on north and environment derives from the research strategy of the University of Oulu. The main research areas are the European Union, the Baltic Sea region, the Northern Finland, the region of Oulu and the City of Oulu.

The main research topics are regional and innovation policies, urban and regional networks and planning, high technology cooperation and development networks, and more generally environment from social science perspective. Both quantitative and qualitative methods are used and geographical information systems are also applied when appropriate.

In academic projects the main recent research grants include High technology in periphery of the Baltic Sea region (Academy of Finland, 2007- 2008, 127 000 €), Innovative Regional Development, Urban Networks, and Information and Communication Technologies in the Baltic Sea Region (Academy of Finland, 2003- 2006, 240 000 €). In addition, PhD students have received individual research grants for their topics. Furthermore, researchers are networked into projects funded by the European Union, the Nordic Council of Ministers, the Estonian Science Academy and other international actors.

In applied research the contacts to the surrounding society are intensive. The funding originates from national, regional and local authorities. The most important recent projects have been: KASUKAT (Planning methods for mining localities in Finland, the Ministry of the Environment, 2006-2008, 150 000 € / with Department of Architecture, University of Oulu); KEVYT (Development corridors in regional development, the Ministry of the Interior, 25 000 €); EKOSUKAT (Ecologic and economic efficiency in rapidly growing and declining localities, the Ministry of the Environment, 2003-2005, 150 000 € / with Department of Architecture, University of Oulu); MULTIPOLIS (Analysis of high technology network Multipolis, the Ministry of the Interior, 2004, 42 000 €). In addition, the staff has been involved in environmental and social impact assessment of various local and regional plans in Oulu and the surroundings.

Selected publications

The publications are targeted to three main areas: first, the international and national journal using peer-review system, second, books and research reports mostly for the Finnish academic and applied audience, third, newspaper articles to the surrounding society.

Ala-Rämi, Katariina (2007). Communication and Proximity in Collaboration between High-Technology Enterprises in Northern Finland. European Planning Studies 15:8, 1047-1062.

Ala-Rämi, Katariina & Tommi Inkinen (2007). Information Technology, Communication and Networking. The case of Northern Finland. International Journal of Knowledge Management Studies 2 [in print]

Inkinen, Tommi & Jauhiainen, Jussi S. (2006) (eds) Tietoyhteiskunnan maantiede. [Geography of the Information Society] 271 pp. Gaudeamus, Helsinki.

Jauhiainen, Jussi S. & Mönkkönen, Marja (2005). Seasonality: nature, people’s preferences and urban planning in Oulunsalo, Finland. Landscape Research 30:2, pp. 273-281.

Jauhiainen, Jussi S. (2005). Edgar Kant and the rise of modern urban geography. Geografiska Annaler B: Human Geography 87B:3, pp. 193-203.

Jauhiainen, Jussi S. (2006). Demographic, employment and administrative challenges for urban policies in Estonia. European Planning Studies 14:2, pp. 273-283.

Jauhiainen, Jussi S. (2006). Multipolis – high technology network in northern Finland. European Planning Studies 14:10, pp. 1407-1428.

Jauhiainen, Jussi S. & Niemenmaa, Vivi (2006). Alueellinen suunnittelu [Regional Planning]. 292 pp. Vastapaino, Tampere.

Jauhiainen, Jussi S. (2007). Men, money and mobile phones: tracing the technology discourse in the Finnish newspapers. Technology in Society 29:1, pp. 79-91.

Jauhiainen, Jussi S., Harvio, Susanna, Luukkonen, Juho & Moilanen, Helka (2007). Kehittämisvyöhykkeet aluekehityksessä. [Summary: Regional development zones in regional development] Sisäasiainministeriö Alueiden kehittäminen julkaisuja 22 / 2007. 125 pp. Sisäasiainministeriö, Helsinki.

Jauhiainen, Jussi S. (2007). Regional and innovation policies in Finland – Towards convergence and/or mismatch? Regional Studies 41, pp. 00–00. [in print]

Pikner, Tarmo (2008). Reorganising cross-border governance capacity: the case of the Helsinki-Tallinn Euregio. European Urban and Regional Studies 15 [in print]

Staff

Muilu, Toivo, Ph.D., Senior Assistant in Applied Geography and Regional Planning, (Geography of Labour and Employment) – on leave.

Ala-Rämi, Katariina, Ph.D., Senior Assistant in Applied Geography and Regional Planning, (High Technology Networks and Enterprises) – acting

In addition, there are 4–6 contracted researchers in projects and part-time teachers in courses.

Ph.D. students

Keränen, Heimo, Planning and assessing regional development projects (PhD to be defended in 2008)

Ryhänen, Aila, Home in urban planning (PhD to be defended in 2008)

Mönkkönen, Marja, Ecological efficiency in growing and declining localities (PhD to be defended in 2009)

Suorsa, Katri, Innovation systems and networks in northern Finland (PhD to be defended in 2009)