Our elected representatives

Scholarly Board

The Scientific Board, together with the Financial Board, is our highest elected body. It ensures that the scientific and cultural objectives of SLS are realised. The Scientific Board meets nine times a year. The board has a working committee consisting of the Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer.

Åsa von Schoultz

Chairman
Professor

Mona Forsskåhl

Deputy Chairman
Rector

Johan Aalto

Treasurer

Lagman (Honorary Title)

Anna Slotte

Secretary
Docent

Pauline von Bonsdorff

Professor

Petri Karonen

Professor

Kristina Malmio

Professor

Fredrik Nilsson

Professor

Marcus Norrgård

Professor

Mattias Pirholt

Professor

Gunilla Widén

Professor

Ann-Catrin Östman

Docent

Financial Board

The Financial Board, together with the Scientific Board, is our highest representative body. One of the key tasks of the Financial Board is to oversee the financing and investment activities of SLS. The Treasurer chairs the Financial Board, which meets four times a year.

Johan Aalto

Treasurer

Lagman (Honorary Title)

Robert Andersson

Senior Advisor

Jannica Fagerholm

CEO

Joakim Frimodig

Chairman

Heidi Schauman

Head of Analysis

Committees

We draw on a wide range of expertise in various boards, councils, committees and other groups. In total, more than 200 experts in the humanities and social sciences, as well as in economics and property management, are involved in our representative bodies. The bodies and their members are appointed by the Scientific Board and the Financial Board.

Operations Committees

Research Committee

The Research Committee is our advisory body on research issues. Among other things, the committee draws up guidelines for the call for proposals and evaluation of research projects as well as outline projects. The committee proposes to the Scientific Board which projects SLS should fund. The committee also makes proposals for the award of certain scholarships.

Members 2024–2026

Professor Åsa von Schoultz, University of Helsinki, Chairperson

Lecturer, Associate Professor Lieven Ameel, University of Tampere

Professor Pauline von Bonsdorff, University of Jyväskylä

Professor Pirjo Markkola, University of Tampere

Lecturer, Associate Professor Mikko Kuronen, University of Jyväskylä

Lecturer, Associate Professor Katriina Siivonen, University of Turku

Head of Research Ruth Illman, Society of Swedish Literature in Finland, Secretary

Publishing Committee

The Publishing Committee sets the guidelines for our publications. It appoints reviewers and grants licences for publications. It also approves the annual publication plans and monitors sales and marketing reports and other reporting.

Members 2024–2026

Rector Mona Forsskåhl, Arcada University of Applied Sciences, Chairperson

Postdoctoral researcher Eeva-Liisa Bastman, Research council of Finland/Tampere University

Docent Stefan Nygård, University of Helsinki

Professor Fredrik Nilsson, Åbo Akademi University

Vice Rector Gunilla Widén, Åbo Akademi University

Publishing Director Patricia Berg, Society of Swedish Literature in Finland, Secretary

Committee for Collection

Committee for Collection is a body appointed by the Scholarly board with the task of providing guidelines for the active material collection, compiling proposals for material collection and questionnaire’s themes and identifying collecting needs.

Members 2024–2026

Senior Lecturer Ann-Catrin Östman, Åbo Akademi University, chair

Professor Fredrik Nilsson, Åbo Akademi University

Professor Åsa von Schoultz, University of Helsinki

Doctor of Philosophy Lars Ilshammar, Svenska Arkivförbundet

Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor Therese Lindström Tiedemann, University of Helsinki

Associate Professor Sakari Katajamäki, Finnish Literature Society

Senior Lecturer Katriina Siivonen, University of Turku

Head of Archives Kristina Linnovaara, Society of Swedish Literature in Finland, secretary

Editorial Board of Finlands svenska folkmusikinstitut

The editorial board of the ‘Finlands svenska folkmusikinstitut’ (the Swedish Folk Music Institute of Finland) is responsible for ensuring that the Institute’s publications are of high quality and breadth and for spreading knowledge about Swedish folk music and dance in Finland.

Members

PhD Kaj Ahlsved, chairperson

MSc Siv Ekström, vice chairperson

Professor Johannes Brusila, Åbo Akademi

Nomination Committee

The task of the Nomination Committee is to make proposals to the Annual Meeting for the election of members of the Scholarly Board and the Financial Board, and for the election of the auditor. The Annual General Meeting elects two members, the Scholarly Board one member and the Financial Board one member to the Committee. Chairman of the society and treasurer of the Society participate in the work of the Nominating Committee. SLS members can contact the committee at nomineringskommitten@sls.fi.

Members

Professor emeritus Nils Erik Villstrand, Chairman, appointed by the annual meeting

Bergsrådet (Honorar title) Ole Johansson, appointed by the annual meeting

Professor Kristina Malmio, appointed by the Scholarly Board

Senior advisor Robert Andersson, appointed by the Financial Board

Scholarly Committees

The Scholarly Committees are a central part of our research activities. They bring together a wide range of scientific expertise and their members are an important link to the universities and the research community. The committees make proposals for research grants and subsidies, initiate publications and research projects, and organise seminars and lectures.

Committee for Historical Sciences

The committee promotes awareness of the history of the Swedish-speaking population and culture in Finland, and coordinates Finland-Swedish historical research.

Members 2024–2026

Professor Charlotta Wolff, Turku University, chairperson

Lecturer, docent Anders Ahlbäck, Stockholm University

Lecturer, docent Ainur Elmgren, University of Oulu

Lecturer Derek Fewster, University of Helsinki

Lecturer, docent Björn Forsén, University of Helsinki

Professor Johanna Ilmakunnas, Åbo Akademi University

Associate professor Kristin Ilves, University of Helsinki

Professor Petri Karonen, Jyväskylä University

Professor Anu Lahtinen, University of Helsinki

Professor Päivi Salmesvuori, Åbo Akademi University

Professor Peter Stadius, University of Helsinki

Senior University Lecturer, docent Ann-Catrin Östman, Åbo Akademi University

MA Sandra Waller (Åbo Akademi University) acts as the secretary and researcher of the Committee for Historical Sciences.

Committee for Studies in Literature and Art

The committee supports and promotes literary research, especially that relating to Swedish literature in Finland.

Members 2024–2026

Professor Kristina Malmio, University of Helsinki, chairperson

Assistant professor, Eeva-Liisa Bastman, Research Council of Finland/Tampere University

Professor Pauline von Bonsdorff, Jyväskylä University

Lecturer, docent Anna Hollsten, University of Helsinki

Professor emerita Päivi Lappalainen, Turku

PhD Judith Meurer-Bongardt, Universität Bonn

Associate professor Mattias Pirholt, Uppsala University

Senior lecturer, docent Max Ryynänen, Aalto Universitetet

Docent Hanna Samola, Tampere University

Professor Susanna Välimäki, University of Helsinki

Professor Katarina Wadstein MacLeod, Stockholms University

Senior lecturer, docent Maria Österlund, Åbo Akademi University

MA Hilda Forss (University of Helsinki) is the secretary and researcher of the Committee for Literary Studies.

Committee for Social Science

The committee supports and promotes systematic research on the structure and social conditions of the Finland-Swedish population and their position within Finnish society.

Members 2024–2026

Lecturer Anna Henning, University of Helsinki, chairperson

Professor Mirjam Kalland, University of Helsinki

Professor Mikko Lagerspetz, Åbo Akademi University

Professor Tuomas Martikainen, University of Turku

Senior lecturer Fredrica Nyqvist, Åbo Akademi University

Associate Professor Katarina Pettersson, University of Helsinki

Professor Jan Saarela, Åbo Akademi University

Professor Kim Strandberg, Åbo Akademi University

Professor Markku Suksi, Åbo Akademi University

Professor Gunilla Widén, Åbo Akademi University

Committee for Linguistics

The committee supports and promotes linguistic research on Swedish in Finland.

Members 2024–2026

Professor Camilla Lindholm, University of Helsinki, chairperson

Head of Department, PhD Charlotta af Hällström-Reijonen, Institute for the Languages of Finland

Professor Siv Björklund, Åbo Akademi University

Professor Saara Haapamäki, Åbo Akademi University

Professor Hanna Lappalainen, University of Eastern Finland

Research Director, docent Krister Lindén, Helsingfors universitet

Professor Åsa Palviainen, Jyväskylä University

Assistant Head of Department, docent Henrik Rahm, Centre for Languages and Literature, Lund University

Professor Paula Rossi, University of Oulu

Editor in chief, PhD Caroline Sandström, Institute for the Languages of Finland

Lecturer, docent Anna Slotte, University of Helsinki, vice chairperson

Professor Camilla Wide, University of Turku

MA Carina Frondén (University of Helsinki) acts as secretary and researcher of the Committee for Linguistics.

Committee for Cultural Studies

The committee supports and promotes ethnological, folkloric and other traditional research on the Swedish-speaking population in Finland.

Members 2024–2026

Senior Lecturer, docent Blanka Henriksson, Åbo Akademi University, chairperson

Docent, Research Archivist, Sverker Hyltén-Cavallius, Musikverket, Stockholm

Lecturer, docent Tiina Mahlamäki, University of Turku

Professor Fredrik Nilsson, Åbo Akademi University

Lecturer Pia Olsson, University of Helsinki

University Teacher Ann-Charlotte Palmgren, Åbo Akademi University

PhD Nika Potinkara, University of Helsinki

University Teacher Jenni Rinne, University of Turku

Professor Kirsi Saarikangas, University of Helsinki

PhD Marie Steinrud, Stockholm University

PhD Tytti Steel, University of Helsinki

MA Malin Stengård (Åbo Akademi University) is the secretary and researcher of the Committee for Cultural Studies.

Prize Juries

General Prize Jury

We award literary prizes during our annual ceremony on 5 February. Our Scientific Board, on the proposal of the General Prize Jury, decides which literary and scientific works will be honoured.

Members appointed for the 2025 award ceremony

Professor Kristina Malmio, Chairman

Fiction section

Author Sirpa Kähkönen

Project manager Annette Kronholm

Lecturer Jenny Jarlsdotter Wikström

Non-fiction section

Docent Marko Lamberg

PhD Tomas Lehecka

PhD Tomi Riitamaa

Jury for the State Councillor Mauritz Hallberg Prize

The State Councillor Mauritz Hallberg Prize is awarded annually on 16 May to an outstanding researcher who has undertaken particularly outstanding research for a scientific work in Swedish published in Finland.

Members appointed for the 2025 award ceremony

SLS representatives

Professor Åsa von Schoultz, Chairman

Rector Mona Forsskåhl

Professor Mattias Pirholt

Representatives of Åbo Akademi University

Professor Peter Nynäs (deputy Professor Björn Vikström)

Professor Siv Björklund (deputy Professor Edvard Johansson)