Marja Tiilikainen

Introduction

My long-standing research interest focuses particularly on questions related to the everyday lives of migrant families and transnational ways of life. In the context of everyday life, I have explored the multifaceted dimensions of religiosity, illness and healing, well-being, and security. I have also delved into issues related to the diversification of working life. My research has often focused on diasporic Somali communities, refugees, and Muslim minorities. In addition to an ethnographic approach, I have employed arts-based methods. I have conducted fieldwork not only in Finland but also in Canada and Somalia.

Projects

Mobile Futures, WP4: Trust in the Labour Market, Strategic Research Council, Research Council of Finland (2022–2025)

Family Separation, Migration Status and Everyday Security: Experiences and Strategies of Vulnerable Migrants (Research Council of Finland 2018–2021)

Young Muslims and Resilience – A Participatory Study (Kone Foundation 2016‒2020)

Transnational Muslim Marriages: Wellbeing, Law, and Gender (Research Council of Finland 2013‒2018)

Islam and Security Revisited: Transnational Somali Families in Finland, Canada and Somalia (Research Council of Finland 2012‒2017)

Selected publications

Tiilikainen, Marja (2025). Changing fatherhood and gender roles in Somali families: Experiences of being fathered in Somalia and in the diaspora. In: Petteri Eerola, Katherine Twamley, Henna Pirskanen & Pedro Manuel Romero-Balsas (eds.), Caring Fathers in the Global Context. Policy Press and Bristol University Press. https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/caring-fathers-in-the-global-context

Linjakumpu, Aini, Tuula Sakaranaho, Johanna Konttori, Inkeri Rissanen, Ruth Illman, Martin Ubani & Marja Tiilikainen (2023). Uskontolukutaito suomalaisessa yhteiskunnassa [Religious literacy in Finnish society]. Helsinki: Gaudeamus.

Tiilikainen, Marja, Marte Knag Fylkesnes & Sharon A. McGregor (2023). Family-like Relationships and Wellbeing of Young Refugees in Finland, Norway, and Scotland. Social Sciences, 12(12), 667; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12120667

Tiilikainen, Marja, Johanna Hiitola, Abdirashid A. Ismail & Jaana Palander, eds. (2023). Forced Migration and Separated Families: Everyday Insecurities and Transnational Strategies. IMISCOE Research Series. Springer. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-24974-7

Finell, Eerika, Marja Tiilikainen, Inga Jasinskaja-Lahti, Nasteho Hasan & Fairuz Muthana (2021). Lived experience related to the covid-19 pandemic among Arabic-, Russian- and Somali-speaking migrants in Finland. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(5), 1-19.  https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052601

Tiilikainen, Marja & Tarja Mankkinen (2020). Prevention of Violent Radicalization and Extremism in Finland: The Role of Religious Literacy. In: Tuula Sakaranaho, Timo Aarrevaara & Johanna Konttori (toim.), The Challenges of Religious Literacy: The Case of Finland. SpringerBriefs in Religious Studies. Springer, Cham, 67-78. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-47576-5_6

Tiilikainen, Marja (2020). Finnish Somali Fathers, Respectability, and Transnational Family Life. In: Johanna Hiitola, Kati Turtiainen, Sabine Gruber & Marja Tiilikainen (eds.), Family Life in Transition: Borders, Transnational Mobility and Welfare Society in Nordic Countries, 131-141. Abingdon, Oxfordshire: Routledge.

Onodera, Henri, Marja Tiilikainen & Helena Oikarinen-Jabai, eds. (2019). ”Me ollaan tavallisia ihmisiä, mitä eroa onko muslimi vai ei!” – näkökulmia muuttuvaan nuoruuteen Suomessa [”We are ordinary people, what difference does it make whether we are Muslims or not!” – approaches to changing youth in Finland]. Special issue, Nuorisotutkimus 2/2019.

Tiilikainen, Marja (2019). Raising children of Somali descent in Toronto. Challenges and struggles for everyday security and wellbeing. In: Marja Tiilikainen, Mulki Al-Sharmani & Sanna Mustasaari (eds.), Wellbeing of Transnational Muslim Families: Marriage, Law and Gender, 147-163. Abingdon, Oxfordshire: Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/oa-edit/10.4324/9781315231976/wellbeing-transnational-muslim-families-marja-tiilikainen-mulki-al-sharmani-sanna-mustasaari

Tiilikainen, Marja (2003). Arjen islam: Somalinaisten elämää Suomessa [Everyday Islam: The life of Somali women in Finland]. Tampere: Vastapaino.