University of Helsinki
Anna Petran, a junior research fellow at the Gender Initiativkolleg (GIK) “Gender, Violence and Agency in the Era of Globalization” (University of Vienna, Austria), visited the CEACG for a 3 month period during this autumn.
In her doctoral dissertation Petran examines the phenomenon of binge drinking as a body based adolescent self-practice at the turn of the twentieth century. The background of her research is the medial and political discussion about the drinking behavior of German teenagers:
“In 2007 a 16-years-old student died after consuming 45 shots of Tequila and accusations of who was to blame for the excessive drinking of German teenagers started to appear in media and political speech”, explains Petran.
Petran wants to make sociological inquiries into the ways in which contemporary health discourses in the public discussion can be seen in this context: “What really interests me is how we can discern a changed societal perception of bodily practices”, she explains. According to Petran a paradox is that the new social relevance of the body and its management seems to stimulate the teenager’s drinking practices, too.
“The first results of my fieldwork with excessively drinking teenagers point out that boys and girls practice binge drinking as a bodily performance of power and autonomy as well as a form of an emotional self-management. With a special focus on gender my particular interest applies this, apparently paradox and societal undesirable, relation between an overall body discourse and one concrete practice. For sociology, the study of binge drinking promises enlightening views on present practices of collectivization and individualization of young people.”
How, then, did you find working at the UofH, and CEACG?
“Joining the CEACG was a very special experience for me. By working with international specialists in a very welcoming and friendly environment I got a deep insight in my research field and learned a lot beside my original academic context. I appreciate very much the inspiring working atmosphere, the high academic standard and the infrastructure at the University of Helsinki.”
Petran adds that she enjoyed Helsinki as a modern and clean city with pleasant people.
“Thanks to the great housing opportunities the University provides for international researchers I could enjoy life in the heart of the city. On long walks at the weekends I explored Helsinki’s natural environment and get the pleasure of a Finnish autumn which, in my point of view, is most beautiful.”
We wish Anna good luck with her very interesting work and hope she will stay in touch with the CEACG.