I serve presently as acting university lecturer in systematic theology at the Department of Systematic Theology at the Faculty of Theology, University of Helsinki.
This blog is about my research on social justice and related theological issues mainly up to 2016. Since Jan 2017 I have focused more on updating my Cultures & Ethics blog.
Please have a look at the following sections of this blog:
- Research: My research interests and selected publications.
- Justice in Progress: A short introduction to certain key principles that I have analysed in a variety contexts and also in adjusted forms in many of my publications.
- Religion and Global Health: My on-going research project on the integration of faith-based initiatives in the promotion of health-related justice.
Please visit The University of Helsinki TUHAT Research Database and Religion and Ethics homepage (one track of the Social Ethics network) for a more complete view of my academic life. (Tapahtumia ja kommentteja [Events and Comments] is available only in Finnish, my apologies for this.)
This is not a purely academic blog, for I do not believe that a truly reflective approach to social justice can be purely academic.
When we walk or drive in the midst of busy traffic, we routinely conform to great many rules that regulate our conduct. Often we also expect various socially and legally endorsed rules to be good for us, perhaps for our health, and 
more or less just. But what do we then really assume about goodness or justice?
We do frequently call for more global justice and development, although we cannot always explain what we are after. I have been struggling with these sorts of issues over and over again. Here I want to share some of my findings in order to help the discussion of social justice to move on, in faith that in general we must avoid silence in issues of justice.
I am married and have three children. I have lived my life by and large in Finland, but I have also had opportunities to learn about quite different perspectives of life near and far. And I would love to learn more!
Contact: ville.paivansalo@helsinki.fi; Facebook; LinkedIn.
Motto: Thinking about justice leads to think many other issues of life as well!
(Photos, VP: “…Rehabilitation” entrance to the Christian Medical College Vellore, detail; Rule-based traffic in Helsinki)