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On leave of absence

Elina Sinkkonen is a Senior Research Fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs and holds the Title of Docent in East Asian Studies, specifically East Asian Politics, at the University of Turku. Her research interests include great power relations, authoritarian regimes, regional security in East Asia, Chinese nationalism, public opinion issues in China and domestic-foreign policy nexus in IR theory. Sinkkonen’s ongoing research focuses on technology in the great power struggle and more precisely understanding China’s innovation ecosystem, technological advancement, tech financing, and regulation. Technology theme relates to two externally funded projects.

Sinkkonen’s work has been published in Political Psychology, Democratization, The China Quarterly, The Pacific Review, European Review of International Studies and European Foreign Affairs Review, among others. She received her doctorate from the University of Oxford at the Department of Politics and International Relations. Her co-edited book on the new roles of women in Chinese society won the 2016 Kanava prize, which is given to the best Finnish book in the fields of politics, society, economics, history or culture.

Honorary title

Docent / associate professor, University of Turku, 2021

Expertise

China’s domestic and foreign policy, security politics in East Asia, authoritarian governance, great power relations, national identity and nationalism

Degrees

DPhil, University of Oxford (UK), Department of Politics and International Relations, 2014
M.Soc.Sc, University of Helsinki, Department of Politics and Economics, 2008

Prizes

Kanava prize 2016 for non-fiction writing  

Language skills

Finnish, English, Chinese (working languages), French, Swedish, German, Spanish

Projects

China’s disruptive technologies and international security
Technical standards as critically intangible capital for Finnish companies in an era of strategic competition
Global Politics of the Energy Transition
European Strategic Autonomy in a Geo-economic World
Russia’s technological policy and knowhow in a competitive global context
Foreign acquisitions and political retaliation as threats to supply security in an era of strategic decoupling
Authoritarianism in Flux


Latest FIIA Publications

Expertise

China’s domestic and foreign policy, security politics in East Asia, authoritarian governance, great power relations, national identity and nationalism

Honorary title

Docent / associate professor, University of Turku, 2021

Work experience

Researcher, University of Helsinki, 2013
Visiting researcher, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences 2011–2012
Member of China’s War With Japan programme at the University of Oxford 2009–2013
Coordinator of Asia-Pacific Studies Programme, University of Helsinki 2007–2009
In addition teaching experience at the University of Helsinki from 2008 onwards

Degrees

DPhil, University of Oxford (UK), Department of Politics and International Relations, 2014
M.Soc.Sc, University of Helsinki, Department of Politics and Economics, 2008

Prizes

Kanava prize 2016 for non-fiction writing  

Language skills

Finnish, English, Chinese (working languages), French, Swedish, German, Spanish

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Sinkkonen, Elina & Kettunen-Matilainen, Erja (2020). Finland-South Korea relations: Start-ups, innovation and education. In Ramon Pacheco Pardo ed(s): Mapping out EU-South Korea relations: Key member states' perspectives Volume II. Brussels: Institute for European Studies. 46-55.

Pacheco Pardo, Ramon; Ballbach, Eric; Burghart, Sabine; Casarini, Nicola; Esteban, Mario; Husenicova, Lucia; Lee, Sangsoo; Nicolas, Françoise; Nilsson-Wright, John; Pietrewicz, Oskar & Sinkkonen, Elina (2020). It’s time for the European Union to talk to North Korea. 38 North, 2.3.

Lavikainen, Jyri; Pynnöniemi, Katri; Saari, Sinikukka; Järvenpää, Pauli; Mikkola, Harri; Mikkola, Olli-Matti; Pesu, Matti; Saarinen, Sampo & Sinkkonen, Elina (2019). Venäjän ulkopolitiikka. In ed(s): Voiman Venäjä. Helsinki: Puolustusministeriö. 12-46.

Sinkkonen, Elina (2016). Kansanvaltaa kiinalaisittain. Ulkopolitiikka, 53 (3):46-49.

Sinkkonen, Elina (2016). Tietolaatikko: Kiina naisten itsemurhatilastojen kärjessä. In Airaksinen, Tiina; Sinkkonen, Elina & Valjakka, Minna ed(s): Enemmän kuin puoli taivasta — Kiinalainen nainen historiassa, yhteiskunnassa ja kulttuurissa. Helsinki: Art House. 223-227.

Sinkkonen, Elina; Airaksinen, Tiina & Lahtinen, Anja (2016). Maataloutta ja mallityöläisiä: Kiinan työssäkäyvät naiset. In Airaksinen, Tiina; Sinkkonen, Elina & Valjakka, Minna ed(s): Enemmän kuin puoli taivasta — Kiinalainen nainen historiassa, yhteiskunnassa ja kulttuurissa. Helsinki: Art House. 228-260.

Malinen, Olli-Pekka & Sinkkonen, Elina (2016). Sukupuolten välinen tasa-arvo Kiinan koulutusjärjestelmässä. In Airaksinen, Tiina; Sinkkonen, Elina & Valjakka, Minna ed(s): Enemmän kuin puoli taivasta — Kiinalainen nainen historiassa, yhteiskunnassa ja kulttuurissa. Helsinki: Art House. 194-223.

Airaksinen, Tiina; Sinkkonen, Elina & Valjakka, Minna (2016). Toiminnan naisia. In Airaksinen, Tiina; Sinkkonen, Elina & Valjakka, Minna ed(s): Enemmän kuin puoli taivasta — Kiinalainen nainen historiassa, yhteiskunnassa ja kulttuurissa. Helsinki: Art House. 11-34.

Sinkkonen, Elina (2015). Kiina sivuuttaa tasa-arvopolitiikkansa ongelmat. FIIA Column, 31.12.