Research groups
We study working practices in journalism. This includes, for example, analysing the day-to-day work of journalists, the functioning of newsrooms, the impact of the digitalisation of work processes, the well-being and skills of journalists and many other related topics. In the context of digitalisation and journalist burnout, we study both national and local journalism in Estonia and comparative countries.
Keywords: newswork, journalists’ skills, burnout, digitalisation, newsroom practices
Leaders: Marju Himma and Signe Ivask
Associated staff: Marju Himma, Signe Ivask, Ebe Pilt, Brit Laak and Virgo Siil
The project focuses on Estonian energy, mobility, and communication systems. Estonian energy and mobility systems are—based on the experiences of Western countries—outdated. Both systems have major negative environmental impacts. Moreover, a small area of Estonia and its inhabitants must carry most of these impacts, which increases social inequality. Estonia’s success in ICT can be a life jacket. However, the experiences of those ahead of us on the industrialization journey imply that the wrong implementation of ICT can paradoxically worsen both the environmental impacts and increase social inequality.
By analyzing the history of Estonian energy, mobility, and communications systems, we are looking for ways to steer these systems on a sustainable and just path without repeating the mistakes of other industrial societies.
Keywords: sustainability, justice, Deep Transitions, socio-technical transitions
Leaders: Margit Keller and Laur Kanger
Associated staff: Erkki Karo, Kadri Ukrainski, Kati Orru, Erki Tammiksaar, Olaf Mertelsmann, Aro Velmet, Triin Vihalemm, Mihkel Solvak, Peeter Tinits, Anna-Kati Pahker, Martin A. Noorkõiv, Tambet Muide, Kaisa Jõgeva
The focus of the research group is on the transition to a new, responsive and sustainable system based on an open dialogue in the areas of mental health and social services.
The research group focuses on the development of community-based mental health support system.
The third research focus is in the area of community development and includes a range of community relationship development issues, community agency building, and connections between place and community.
Keywords: open dialogue; community mental health (system); supporting personal and relational recovery in the community; community development; place, spaces and community relations; experiential knowledge and experts by experience (in higher education)
Leaders: Dagmar Narusson
Associated staff: Jean Pierre Wilken, Marko Uibu, Kadi Kass, masters' students of Community Development and Social Well-Being
The Center of Excellence for Strategic Sustainability (CESS) is a research group with the University of Tartu Institute of Social Sciences whose research is focused on the topics of the sustainability of human resources, social institutions, and military sociology. The Center of Excellence for Strategic Sustainability was established in January 2014 in cooperation between the University of Tartu Institute of Social Studies and the National Institute for Health Development in order to meet the Ministry of Defence's need to improve its expertise and knowledge with regard to human resources in the field of defence.
Expertise was combined and created along three main axes: monitoring and forecasting demographic and social changes; health and physical capability; and morale and preparedness. Over the years, the UT research group has carried out several collaborations and projects, thus enabling the Ministry of Defence, Defence Forces, Defence League and Defence Resources Agency to enhance and adjust their actions in regard to human resources based on the information which was gathered and analysed.
Members of the research group are actively involved in international specialty networks: the NATO research and development working groups, ERGOMAS (European Research Group on Military and Society) and ISA (International Sociological Association) research networks. The research group more broadly contributes to knowledge transfer through supervising bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral theses in the field of defence.
Keywords: integrated defence, conscription, reserve service, civil-military relations, will to defend
Leaders: Kairi Kasearu
Associated staff: Avo Trumm, Liina-Mai Tooding, Tiia-Triin Truusa, Juhan Kivirähk, Elen Lina, Eleri Lillemäe, Kristjan Silm, Sigrid Aas, Janar Pekarev
Our researchers are analyzing the well-being of people of different ages, ranging from children and young people to working-age and elderly people, and the factors affecting it. Research topics vary widely (see keywords below).
Different types of well-being and welfare policies and their effects are studied. Our researchers have competence in quantitative and qualitative methods and methodology, and experience in constructing various indicators measuring well-being.
An important research direction is the subjective well-being of children in different environments.
Our researchers collaborate with several international organizations (e.g., International Society for Child Indicators - ISCI) and comparative surveys (International Survey of Child Well-being - ISCWeB; European Social Survey - ESS).
Our researchers have established the Well-Being Research Center (webpage under construction).
Keywords: well-being, quality of life throughout the life course, social cohesion, social exclusion, child subjective well-being, vulnerable groups, violence, family, substitute care, school, work, migration, trauma-awareness
welfare policies, well-being indicators, quantitative and qualitative research, survey research, international comparative studies, International Survey of Children’s Well-Being (ISCWeB), European Social Survey
Leaders: Oliver Nahkur, Mare Ainsaar, Dagmar Kutsar
Associated staff: Mare Ainsaar, Mai Beilmann, Ave Kovaljov, Dagmar Kutsar, Oliver Nahkur, Kadri Soo, Tarmo Strenze, Judit Strömpl, Indrek Soidla, Hanna-Kerstina Kartau, Kadi Kass, Gabriel Ceballos Rodriguez, Helina Maasing, Kristi Paron, Simone Eelmaa, Andra Reinomägi, Heidi Paabort
Following the critical data studies school of thought, the research group critically inquires into data collection, monitoring and analysis with an aim to explore the impacts of big data, predictive analytics, automation and growing use of digital technologies (including AI-based tools) has on the present day society. In particular, we are interested in exploring people’s opinions, experiences and practices on the topic, as well a various algorithmic and big data imaginaries represented in the media.
Keywords: critical data studies, big data, datafication of childhood, datafied education, dataveillance, AI, digital technologies, predictive analytics, automation, privacy
Leader: Andra Siibak
Associated staff: Kristjan Kikerpill, Maris Männiste, Katrin Kannukene, Marit Napp
Disasters have a devastating effect on the lives and health of thousands of people when the affected societies are unprepared, and the root causes of vulnerability, including deficiencies in societal support structures and risk communication, have been ignored. Our research group creates vital knowledge of how various forms of social vulnerability and resilience emerge in modern crises and advances the fields of disaster sociology and risk/crisis communication.
Our research is published in high-ranking international journals, such as:
- Imagining and assessing future risks: A dynamic scenario-based social vulnerability analysis framework for disaster planning and response (Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management) https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1468-5973.12436
- Approaches to ‘vulnerability’ in eight European disaster management systems (Disasters) https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/disa.12481
- COVID-19 information disorder: six types of harmful information during the pandemic in Europe (Journal of Risk Research) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13669877.2020.1871058
- Communication-related vulnerability to disasters: A heuristic framework (International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212420920314333
In 2023, Risk and Resilience Research Group won the ENLIGHT Impact Award in digital revolution https://ut.ee/en/content/risk-and-resilience-research-group-university-tartu-won-enlight-impact-award-digital
Keywords: disasters, social vulnerability, resilience, disaster risk reduction, crisis management, risk communication, crisis communication
Leaders: Kati Orru, Sten Hansson
Associated staff: Kristi Nero, Sten Torpan, Ingeliis Siimsen
This cluster of topics is spread across a broad field of “information resilience”. Several subtopics are studied: strategic communication and media analysis; online practices of children and youth, media and information literacies; the roles and specific knowledge of information/media professionals; information behaviour of vulnerable groups; information disorders and influence activities; opportunities and risks of AI; the wonderful and horrific sides of digital culture(s). Overarching aim of our various studies and subtopics is finding scientifically sound ways to support individuals, organisations and societies in developing their media literacies and informational resilience to risks and harms.
Keywords: informational resilience, media and information literacies, digital literacies, online risks and opportunities, digital culture, online communication, participation, interventions, information disorder, creativity, disconnection, influencers, artificial intelligence
Associated staff: Maria Murumaa-Mengel, Krista Lepik-Verliin, Andra Siibak, Marju Himma, Signe Ivask, Sten Hansson, Ragne Kõuts-Klemm, Sten Torpan, Maia Klaassen, Diana Poudel, Inger Klesment.
Mediatisation is a meta-process like globalisation and other societal transformations, in which everyday life, culture, and other areas of life are increasingly intertwined with media, resulting in an increased and deepened role of media in personal and family life, education, economy, politics, military, and elsewhere.
In our institute, the research direction emerged from the MeeMa research group, also known as the Tartu Sociological School, which conducted large-scale population surveys called "Me. The World. The Media" from 2002 to 2014 to answer questions about how to characterize Estonian society, how media consumption patterns and people's life-worlds are changing, and what new societal forces are emerging. The research direction has also developed through international cooperation, including the EU Kids Online network, which focuses on researching children's online activities and the associated opportunities and risks, and to which the UT research group has belonged since 2007.
The members of the research group are engaged in multiple international scientific projects. The PlatFAMs project investigates the platformization of family life through the experiences of three generations. The third wave of the EU Kids Online study focuses on students' use of the internet and generative AI, examining associated risks and opportunities, parental and school mediation, digital and AI literacy, and mental well-being. The PROMISE project explores the experiences, expectations, and challenges related to social media use among young people aged 10 to 25.
Recent projects include ySKILLS and CO:RE, which concentrated on the digital skills and online engagement of children and youth. The project “Social Media Surveillance and Experiences of Authoritarianism” focuses on the experiences and attitudes of two generations towards online state surveillance and corporate dataveillance, and the future classrooms project analyses the design and product development work of educational technology companies in developing future education.
Keywords: (deep) mediatisation, social transformation, corporate dataveillance, online state surveillance, platformization, digital skills, edtech, AI in education, socio-technical imaginaries, socialisation, parental mediation, children, youth, families, generations, schools
Leader: Veronika Kalmus
Associated staff: Signe Opermann, Andra Siibak, Maris Männiste, Kadri Soo, Kristjan Kikerpill, Maria Murumaa-Mengel, Marit Napp, Mai Beilmann, Indrek Soidla, Mari-Liis Tikerperi, Andre Uibos
Investigating the operating environment of the media and the principles of media functioning to assess media-related risks and opportunities for society.
Keywords: media monitoring, the role of journalism, media regulation, relationship between media and society, risks and opportunities
Leader: Halliki Harro-Loit
Associated staff: Ragne Kõuts-Klemm, Liis Auväärt, Epp Lauk, Urmas Loit