EDUCATION
- Student examination. Töölön yhteislyseo, Helsinki. 1966
- kand. (cand. phil.;Comparative Literature, Russian Language and Literature, Finnish language ) Helsinki University 1973
- lis. (lic. phil.; Comparative Literature, Russian Language and Literature) Helsinki University 1975
- tri (PhD; Russian literature ) Helsinki University 1987
EMPLOYMENT
- Teacher in Comparative Literature Helsinki University 1970–72
- Assistant in Comparative Literature. Helsinki University 1972, 1975–79
- Acting Associate Professor in Comparative Literature. Oulu University 1979
- Acting Associate Professor in Russian Literature. Helsinki University 1981–83
- Research Fellow Finnish Academy of Sciences and Humanities 1983–86
- Acting Associate Professor in Russian Literature. Helsinki University 1986–87
- Associate Professor in Russian Literature. Helsinki University 1988–1997
- Acting Professor in Russian Language and Literature. Helsinki University 1992–1993, 1997–1998
- Professor in Russian Literature. Helsinki University 1998–2010
- Professor emeritus in Russian Literature. Helsinki University 2011–
INSTITUTIONAL AFFILIATION (major)
- The Society of Finnish Literature
- working member 1978–
- The Finnish Society of Aesthetics
- board member 1983–85
- The Finnish Society of Slavists
- board member 1988–2001; chair 1990–98
- The Finnish Society of Literary Scholars
- vice chair 1988–1990
- The Finnish–Soviet Scientific–Technological Committee (Suomen ja Neuvostoliiton välinen tietellinen yhteistyökomitea), Working group in Literature and Folklore
- Secretary General 1988–1990
- The International Institute of Semiotics (ISI)
- board member 1996–2010
- The Finnish Society for Russian and East European Studies
- board member 1995– 2001
- The member of St. Petersburg Academy of Humanities
- member 1994–
- The Aleksanteri Institute – Centre for Russian and East European Studies in Finland
- board member 1996–98; 2005–2010
- The Renvall Institute of Area Studies, University of Helsinki
- board chair 1995–2001
- board member 1993–2004
- Russian Booker–Smirnoff Literary Price
- jury member 1999
- VI ICCEES (International Council for Central and East European Studies) World Congress in Tampere
- International Program Committee member 2000
- Daugavpils (Latvia) Pedagogical University
- The Philology Study International Assessment Committee member 2000
- Riga (Latvia) Sate University
- Philological Study International Assessment Committee member 2002.
- Tartu State University & Tallinn Pedagogical University
- Literature and Folkloristic Study International Assessment Committee member 2002.
- Novoe Literaturnoe Obozrenie (The New Literary Review), Moscow
- Editorial Board Member 2005–
- European University at St Petersburg. Faculty of Ethnology
- International Advisory Board Member 2006–2008
- The Eino Leino Literary Price. Finland
- jury member 2006 and 2013
- Building a European Reference Index for the Humanities (ERIH)
- Standing Committee for Literature member 2006–2007
- 9th World Congress of International Association of Semiotics. Helsinki–Imatra
- International Program Committee Member 2007
- European Science Foundation
- Pool reviewer 2009–10
- The Finnish Society of Russian Literature
- Vice chair 2013–
MEMBERSHIP AND ACTIVITIES IN RESEARCH PROJECTS
- International Project “Modernism and Postmodernism in Russian Literature and Culture” (Supported by The Academy of Finland, Helsinki University, Centre for International Mobility & others) 1995–1999 (2000–2010)
- responsible project leader
- The Nordic Doctoral School of Russian Literature (supported by Nordiska Forskarutdaningsakademin)
- the leading group member 1997–1999
- The Finnish Doctoral School of Literature (Valtakunnallinen Kirjallisuudentutkimuksen tutkijakoulu; supported by The Academy of Finland)
- the leading group member 1998–2010
- International Project “Understanding, Misunderstanding, Self-understanding” (Supported by ESR) within the International Semiotics Institute
- member 1998–1999/2003
- International Project “Narration and History: Turn of the Century in Russian Culture” (Supported by The Academy of Finland) 2002–2005
- responsible project leader
- Finnish Network University of Semiotics
- board member 2003–2008
- International Project “St. Petersburg / Leningrad: History – Narration – Present” (Supported by The Academy of Finland) 2004–2007
- responsible project leader
- International Project “Understanding Russianness” (Supported by Helsinki University) 2008–2011
- project leader with Risto Alapuro and Arto Mustajoki
PUBLICATIONS
3 Books
18 Edited Books
93 Articles
212 Newspaper articles
Articles in Encylopedias
Radio and TV programs
AWARDS AND GRANTS
- Several Grants for studies in
- Soviet Union/Russia 1969–
- Czechoslovakia 1970
- Germany 1998
(from Helsinki University; Finnish Academy, Ministry of Education, Finnish–Soviet Scientific & Technological Committee, The Institute for Russian and Eastern European studies, The Friendship Society Finland–Soviet Union/Russia)
- Eemil Aaltonen Foundation 1974
- Alfred Kordelin Foundation 1978
- The Academy of Finland: Senior Research Fellow 1992–1993 and 2002–2003
- Jakov Grot award of Helsinki University for enthusiasm in Russian Studies 1999
- Suomen Valkoisen Ruusun ritarikunnan I luokan ritarimerkki 2004
- Oscar Parland award of Finnish Semiotic Society for the work done in the field of study and teaching in Russian Semiotics 2007
- Pushkin medal from International Association of Teachers in Russian Language and Literature for remarkable achievements in teaching Russian Language and Literature 2015
CONFERENCES
- Papers in International Seminars and Conferences
- 1975– (ca. 100) in Russia, Estonia, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, England, Scotland, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Italy, USA, Mexico
- Papers in Finnish Seminars and Conferences
- 1971– (ca. 130)
- Organized Seminars and Conferences
- International (17) 1982–
Especially to be mentioned The Tartu–Helsinki international seminars on Russian Literature and Culture (I–XV, 1987–) - Finnish (ca. 40) 1974–
- International (17) 1982–
SUPERVISED ACADEMIC WORKS
- Supervised doctoral dissertations completed (32) 1991–2012
- 22 (1st supervisor); 11 (2nd supervisor)
- Authors: Finns (19), Russians (11), Estonian (1), American; USA (1), Israelian (1)
- Supervised licentiate dissertations (theses) completed (11) 1988–2009
- Authors: Finns (8), Russian (2), American (USA) (1)
- Supervised MA (FM)–theses completed (185) (1979–2010)
- in Comparative and Finnish Literature, Art History, History 15 (1979–2009)
- in Russian Literature and Culture 170 (1982–2010)
PERSONAL
- Born: April, 1, 1947. Norrköping, Sweden
- Married, 2 daughters, 4 grandchildren
- Languages: Finnish (mother tongue), Russian, Swedish, English, German