Joonas S. Martikainen

Hello! I am a researcher in critical social and political theory. I work on political philosophy and theory, focusing on phenomena such as political poverty, the loss of political agency, and the broader social conditions of political liberty. I make use of a variety of approaches, such as political phenomenology, contemporary critical social and political theory, and theories of participatory democracy. I also teach political philosophy and theory.

My book project "Political Poverty: Losing Faith in Democracy" explores the ways that people in conteporary democratic societies can become informally disenfranchised and unable to effectively participate in democratic processes while remaining ostensibly included in them. My current research project "Feeling Like a Citizen" investigates the emotional and affective basis of citizenship, focusing on its enabling conditions such as trust, solidarity, and sharing a common world. I received my Doctorate in Social Sciences in Practical Philosophy at the University of Helsinki in 2021.

I am currently a postdoc researcher with the project HARMAA: Indirect Philosophy as a Form of Resistance – How to Reinforce Individual Agency in the “Post-Truth” Era?, funded by the Kone Foundation. I work at the discipline of Practical Philosophy at the University of Helsinki.

This site is hosted on Neocities, in opposition to, and as an alternative to exploitative social media platforms. I am committed to making internet about fun, freedom and discovery again, the principles behind what we knew as Web 1.0. Last updated in December 2023.