Tiina Kontinen
Biographic Data
| ID | 276263 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Tiina Kontinen |
| GIVEN NAMES | Tiina |
| FAMILY NAME | Kontinen |
| SIGNATURE | KONTINEN T |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Jyväskylä |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-0302-6666 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 29 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 39 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 28 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 1 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2010 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
Towards unlearning colonial practices? Muddling through academic collaborations among Tanzania, Zambia and Finland
Extensive research has called for transformations to increase equity in, and decolonising of, North–South academic collaborations characterised by power asymmetries. However, less attention has been paid to everyday practices through which collaborators ‘muddle through’ extant funding constraints, university bureaucracies and institutionalised hierarchies when pursuing shared goals. Drawing on the lenses of unlearning colonial practices and decol…
Reconfiguring citizenship in times of crisis
Reclaiming Indigenous knowledge for sustainability
Making sense of the state amid the uncertainty of the Covid-19 pandemic in Kampala, Uganda
The multiple strategies deployed by states to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic caused uncertainty across the globe, necessitating citizens’ reimagination of states that were intervening in their lives and livelihoods in unprecedented ways. This article draws on the concept of sensemaking to explore the ways in which citizens in urban areas of the global South encountered and interpreted the state in the novel situation. It is based on …
Non-essential? Covid-19 disruption to teachers’ economic citizenship in low-cost private schools in Kampala City
Education systems across the globe witnessed vast disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Uganda, the state categorised the education sector as ‘non-essential’ and schools closed for almost two years. Among other outcomes, the prolonged closure had ramifications for teachers in low-cost private schools whose main source of income was greatly disrupted. Building on the notions of economic and pandemic citizenship, we explore the redefined sta…
Interplay of institutional logics in legitimising state Covid-19 responses in Tanzania
Amid the global impact of the March 2020 COVID-19 outbreak, governments instituted measures to manage the spread of the virus and needed to legitimise these responses to appear rational and appropriate in the eyes of citizens. We focus on Tanzania, which offers an example of a particular COVID-19 response of not having instituted lockdowns or other long-lasting movement restrictions. Drawing on an institutional logics approach, and by conducting …
Saemaul Undong
Hope is a cornerstone for community development addressing poverty and promoting transformation in the Global South. We examine how a non-governmental organization (NGO) intervention drawing on ideas from a Korea-based Saemaul Undong development approach inspired a rural community in Uganda with the hopeful spirit of nitubaasa (we can do). Combining conceptualizations of hope in positive psychology and critical pedagogy, based on qualitative inte…
An Afrocentric approach to climate change adaptation
Purpose The effectiveness of scientific seasonal weather forecasts as a tool to help rural communities in Zimbabwe make decisions is under continuous debate. This persists due to rural communities' ongoing difficulty accessing scientific weather forecasts, early warning systems and remote sensing technologies. As a result, rural people continue to rely on the repository of their indigenous knowledge systems for decision-making, seasonal predictio…
Introduction to Special Issue
This Introduction to special issue provides a context for the Nordic Development Research Conference 2021 (NorDev21). It introduces the contents of the conference and contributions within the issue revolved around two main themes of (1) Learning, education, Covid-19 pandemic and decolonizing and (2) State, Democracy, and Citizenship
Is no One Left Behind? Inclusive Citizenship in Practices of Self-help Groups in Rural Tanzania
The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are based on the Agenda 2030 according to which ‘no one is left behind’, highlighting the need for inclusive citizenship at all levels. This article examines self-help groups in rural Tanzania as potential arenas for inclusive citizenship, which is defined as bottom-up practices of membership, participation, and livelihood enhancement. However, inclusive citizenship is also characterised by…
Reimagining Civil Society Collaborations in Development
Learning, Philosophy, and African Citizenship
The book is open access and addresses the compelling questions concerning the ideals of citizenship and the processes of learning to fulfill these ideals
Learning, Philosophy, and African Citizenship
Communities and Habits of Citizenship
This chapter contributes to the debates concerning contextualized conceptualizations of citizenship. Based on the work of pragmatist philosopher John Dewey, it offers a definition of citizenship as constructed in everyday communities in the course of taking care of shared issues. Further, it examines the habits of citizenship that are both acquired and reformulated in the processes of participation in these communities. The empirical example of v…
Impediments to localization agenda
The article spotlights the impediments of the localization agenda in the Rohingya response in Bangladesh through the notion of humanitarian space. The Rohingyas rely entirely on material aid and humanitarian services in the camps, mainly stemming from international actors committed to the localization agenda, which, however, has not been effectively implemented. Drawing on the definition of humanitarian space as an arena, we investigate the main …
Hybrid Identities of Development Studies in Tanzania
This article addresses identities, hierarchies of knowledge and power relations in academia in postcolonial settings, in the context of development studies in Tanzania. Based on literatures on organizational identity and postcolonial hybridity, it establishes a conceptual lens of hybrid identity, scrutinizing how the identity of the discipline of development studies is constructed. Based on analysis of interviews with staff in development studies…
Practices of Citizenship in East Africa
Practices of Citizenship in East Africa
Practices of Citizenship in East Africa uses insights from philosophical pragmatism to explore how to strengthen citizenship within developing countries. Using a bottom-up approach, the book investigates the various everyday practices in which citizenship habits are formed and reformulated. In particular, the book reflects on the challenges of implementing the ideals of transformative and critical learning in the attempts to promote active citize…
Disrupting habits of North–South research collaboration
Institutional Learning in North–South Partnerships
Knowledge production and its possibilities and pitfalls in North–South research partnerships have gained increasing attention. The previous literature has identified certain pervasive challenges, and suggested a variety of ways to change partnerships, ranging from improvement of current collaboration activities to fundamental transformation of the hegemonic Eurocentric criteria for knowledge. Against this backdrop, we ask what kinds of learning c…
Strengthening Institutional Isomorphism in Development NGOs? Program Mechanisms in an Organizational Intervention
Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in international development struggle between being actors in the mainstream or representatives of alternatives to it. However, many NGOs all over the world align with the mainstream and are increasingly similar to each other. This homogenization results from institutional isomorphism, which is affected by their aspirations to be legitimate vis-á-vis the international field. Consultancies are among the main pr…
Rethinking Civil Society in Development
The new development agenda formulated through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is rich with issues such as women empowerment, inclusive society, environment and decent work that have been high on the agenda of civil society actors. However, civil society itself gets only a scant attention among other implementing bodies. We argue for nuanced investigation of civil society in the context of SDGs, and its rethinking in the arena of developm…
Institutional Learning in North-South Research Partnerships
Cet article examine l’évolution récente des pratiques relatives aux partenariats de recherche Nord-Sud, essentiels aujourd’hui pour traiter de questions relatives aux biens publics globaux. Les modalités de ces partenariats sont appelées à évoluer alors que la pertinence des distinctions traditionnelles entre pays « industrialisés » et « en développement », ou entre le Nord et le Sud, s’estompent. Les collaborations scientifiques entre chercheurs…
Knowing Development, Developing Knowledge?’ Introduction to a Special Issue
The articles in this special issue give a flavor of the overall theme ‘Knowing development, developing knowledge’, the title of the second Nordic Conference for Development Research held in Finland
Citizenship, Civil Society, and Development
Impediments to localization agenda
The article spotlights the impediments of the localization agenda in the Rohingya response in Bangladesh through the notion of humanitarian space. The Rohingyas rely entirely on material aid and humanitarian services in the camps, mainly stemming from international actors committed to the localization agenda, which, however, has not been effectively implemented. Drawing on the definition of humanitarian space as an arena, we investigate the main …
Institutional Learning in North-South Research Partnerships
Cet article examine l’évolution récente des pratiques relatives aux partenariats de recherche Nord-Sud, essentiels aujourd’hui pour traiter de questions relatives aux biens publics globaux. Les modalités de ces partenariats sont appelées à évoluer alors que la pertinence des distinctions traditionnelles entre pays « industrialisés » et « en développement », ou entre le Nord et le Sud, s’estompent. Les collaborations scientifiques entre chercheurs…
Realistic evaluation as an avenue to learning for development NGOs
The rise of evidence-based policy-making has created pressures on the evaluation activities of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). In tandem with the demands from outside, NGOs themselves have improved their evaluation activities due to their own desire to learn. This article was motivated by the reflections of Finnish development NGOs on their need to elaborate new approaches. The NGOs have particularly searched for alternatives to the Logica…
Disrupting habits of North–South research collaboration
Institutional Learning in North–South Partnerships
Knowledge production and its possibilities and pitfalls in North–South research partnerships have gained increasing attention. The previous literature has identified certain pervasive challenges, and suggested a variety of ways to change partnerships, ranging from improvement of current collaboration activities to fundamental transformation of the hegemonic Eurocentric criteria for knowledge. Against this backdrop, we ask what kinds of learning c…
Saemaul Undong
Hope is a cornerstone for community development addressing poverty and promoting transformation in the Global South. We examine how a non-governmental organization (NGO) intervention drawing on ideas from a Korea-based Saemaul Undong development approach inspired a rural community in Uganda with the hopeful spirit of nitubaasa (we can do). Combining conceptualizations of hope in positive psychology and critical pedagogy, based on qualitative inte…
Is no One Left Behind? Inclusive Citizenship in Practices of Self-help Groups in Rural Tanzania
The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are based on the Agenda 2030 according to which ‘no one is left behind’, highlighting the need for inclusive citizenship at all levels. This article examines self-help groups in rural Tanzania as potential arenas for inclusive citizenship, which is defined as bottom-up practices of membership, participation, and livelihood enhancement. However, inclusive citizenship is also characterised by…
Strengthening Institutional Isomorphism in Development NGOs? Program Mechanisms in an Organizational Intervention
Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in international development struggle between being actors in the mainstream or representatives of alternatives to it. However, many NGOs all over the world align with the mainstream and are increasingly similar to each other. This homogenization results from institutional isomorphism, which is affected by their aspirations to be legitimate vis-á-vis the international field. Consultancies are among the main pr…
Rethinking Civil Society in Development
The new development agenda formulated through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is rich with issues such as women empowerment, inclusive society, environment and decent work that have been high on the agenda of civil society actors. However, civil society itself gets only a scant attention among other implementing bodies. We argue for nuanced investigation of civil society in the context of SDGs, and its rethinking in the arena of developm…
Reframing Sustainability? Climate Change and North–South Dynamics
Climate change is a major global challenge that elicits diverse and often conflicting views from researchers, policy-makers and civil society activists. Accordingly, the theme of climate change has
Non-essential? Covid-19 disruption to teachers’ economic citizenship in low-cost private schools in Kampala City
Education systems across the globe witnessed vast disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Uganda, the state categorised the education sector as ‘non-essential’ and schools closed for almost two years. Among other outcomes, the prolonged closure had ramifications for teachers in low-cost private schools whose main source of income was greatly disrupted. Building on the notions of economic and pandemic citizenship, we explore the redefined sta…
Democratic Knowledge Production as a Contribution to Objectivity in the Evaluation of Development NGOs
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) occupy an increasingly significant role in international development aid. In tandem with their increasing significance, demands for showing effects and impacts by means of rigorous, most recently experimentalist, evaluation practices have been made; especially by international donors who channel a remarkable portion of their development aid budget through NGOs. The current mainstream evaluation used by NGOs i…
Learning for Development
Realistic evaluation as an avenue to learning for development NGOs
The rise of evidence-based policy-making has created pressures on the evaluation activities of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). In tandem with the demands from outside, NGOs themselves have improved their evaluation activities due to their own desire to learn. This article was motivated by the reflections of Finnish development NGOs on their need to elaborate new approaches. The NGOs have particularly searched for alternatives to the Logica…
Citizenship, Civil Society, and Development
Democratic Knowledge Production as a Contribution to Objectivity in the Evaluation of Development NGOs
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) occupy an increasingly significant role in international development aid. In tandem with their increasing significance, demands for showing effects and impacts by means of rigorous, most recently experimentalist, evaluation practices have been made; especially by international donors who channel a remarkable portion of their development aid budget through NGOs. The current mainstream evaluation used by NGOs i…
Reframing Sustainability? Climate Change and North–South Dynamics
Climate change is a major global challenge that elicits diverse and often conflicting views from researchers, policy-makers and civil society activists. Accordingly, the theme of climate change has
Knowing Development, Developing Knowledge?’ Introduction to a Special Issue
The articles in this special issue give a flavor of the overall theme ‘Knowing development, developing knowledge’, the title of the second Nordic Conference for Development Research held in Finland
Institutional Learning in North-South Research Partnerships
Cet article examine l’évolution récente des pratiques relatives aux partenariats de recherche Nord-Sud, essentiels aujourd’hui pour traiter de questions relatives aux biens publics globaux. Les modalités de ces partenariats sont appelées à évoluer alors que la pertinence des distinctions traditionnelles entre pays « industrialisés » et « en développement », ou entre le Nord et le Sud, s’estompent. Les collaborations scientifiques entre chercheurs…
Rethinking Civil Society in Development
The new development agenda formulated through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is rich with issues such as women empowerment, inclusive society, environment and decent work that have been high on the agenda of civil society actors. However, civil society itself gets only a scant attention among other implementing bodies. We argue for nuanced investigation of civil society in the context of SDGs, and its rethinking in the arena of developm…
Strengthening Institutional Isomorphism in Development NGOs? Program Mechanisms in an Organizational Intervention
Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in international development struggle between being actors in the mainstream or representatives of alternatives to it. However, many NGOs all over the world align with the mainstream and are increasingly similar to each other. This homogenization results from institutional isomorphism, which is affected by their aspirations to be legitimate vis-á-vis the international field. Consultancies are among the main pr…
Practices of Citizenship in East Africa
Practices of Citizenship in East Africa uses insights from philosophical pragmatism to explore how to strengthen citizenship within developing countries. Using a bottom-up approach, the book investigates the various everyday practices in which citizenship habits are formed and reformulated. In particular, the book reflects on the challenges of implementing the ideals of transformative and critical learning in the attempts to promote active citize…
Disrupting habits of North–South research collaboration
Institutional Learning in North–South Partnerships
Knowledge production and its possibilities and pitfalls in North–South research partnerships have gained increasing attention. The previous literature has identified certain pervasive challenges, and suggested a variety of ways to change partnerships, ranging from improvement of current collaboration activities to fundamental transformation of the hegemonic Eurocentric criteria for knowledge. Against this backdrop, we ask what kinds of learning c…
Practices of Citizenship in East Africa
Learning, Philosophy, and African Citizenship
The book is open access and addresses the compelling questions concerning the ideals of citizenship and the processes of learning to fulfill these ideals
Learning, Philosophy, and African Citizenship
Communities and Habits of Citizenship
This chapter contributes to the debates concerning contextualized conceptualizations of citizenship. Based on the work of pragmatist philosopher John Dewey, it offers a definition of citizenship as constructed in everyday communities in the course of taking care of shared issues. Further, it examines the habits of citizenship that are both acquired and reformulated in the processes of participation in these communities. The empirical example of v…
Impediments to localization agenda
The article spotlights the impediments of the localization agenda in the Rohingya response in Bangladesh through the notion of humanitarian space. The Rohingyas rely entirely on material aid and humanitarian services in the camps, mainly stemming from international actors committed to the localization agenda, which, however, has not been effectively implemented. Drawing on the definition of humanitarian space as an arena, we investigate the main …
Hybrid Identities of Development Studies in Tanzania
This article addresses identities, hierarchies of knowledge and power relations in academia in postcolonial settings, in the context of development studies in Tanzania. Based on literatures on organizational identity and postcolonial hybridity, it establishes a conceptual lens of hybrid identity, scrutinizing how the identity of the discipline of development studies is constructed. Based on analysis of interviews with staff in development studies…
Introduction to Special Issue
This Introduction to special issue provides a context for the Nordic Development Research Conference 2021 (NorDev21). It introduces the contents of the conference and contributions within the issue revolved around two main themes of (1) Learning, education, Covid-19 pandemic and decolonizing and (2) State, Democracy, and Citizenship
Is no One Left Behind? Inclusive Citizenship in Practices of Self-help Groups in Rural Tanzania
The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are based on the Agenda 2030 according to which ‘no one is left behind’, highlighting the need for inclusive citizenship at all levels. This article examines self-help groups in rural Tanzania as potential arenas for inclusive citizenship, which is defined as bottom-up practices of membership, participation, and livelihood enhancement. However, inclusive citizenship is also characterised by…
Reimagining Civil Society Collaborations in Development
An Afrocentric approach to climate change adaptation
Purpose The effectiveness of scientific seasonal weather forecasts as a tool to help rural communities in Zimbabwe make decisions is under continuous debate. This persists due to rural communities' ongoing difficulty accessing scientific weather forecasts, early warning systems and remote sensing technologies. As a result, rural people continue to rely on the repository of their indigenous knowledge systems for decision-making, seasonal predictio…
Making sense of the state amid the uncertainty of the Covid-19 pandemic in Kampala, Uganda
The multiple strategies deployed by states to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic caused uncertainty across the globe, necessitating citizens’ reimagination of states that were intervening in their lives and livelihoods in unprecedented ways. This article draws on the concept of sensemaking to explore the ways in which citizens in urban areas of the global South encountered and interpreted the state in the novel situation. It is based on …
Non-essential? Covid-19 disruption to teachers’ economic citizenship in low-cost private schools in Kampala City
Education systems across the globe witnessed vast disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Uganda, the state categorised the education sector as ‘non-essential’ and schools closed for almost two years. Among other outcomes, the prolonged closure had ramifications for teachers in low-cost private schools whose main source of income was greatly disrupted. Building on the notions of economic and pandemic citizenship, we explore the redefined sta…
Interplay of institutional logics in legitimising state Covid-19 responses in Tanzania
Amid the global impact of the March 2020 COVID-19 outbreak, governments instituted measures to manage the spread of the virus and needed to legitimise these responses to appear rational and appropriate in the eyes of citizens. We focus on Tanzania, which offers an example of a particular COVID-19 response of not having instituted lockdowns or other long-lasting movement restrictions. Drawing on an institutional logics approach, and by conducting …
Political science (19 works) · Sociology (15 works) · Politics (11 works) · Citizenship (8 works) · Computer Science (8 works) · Law (8 works) · Economic growth (7 works) · Economics (7 works) · Law (7 works) · Tourism, Volunteerism, and Development (7 works)