LAIF Research Project
The LAIF project examines language ideologies, attitudes, and multilingualism in Finland, focusing on linguistic equality and justice. It addresses concerns about the Finnish language's vitality amidst the growing role of English and advocates for social fairness through linguistic activism. Over three years, the team collects data through surveys, interviews, and citizen science, analyzing it with diverse methods. Findings are shared via academic and public outreach, including podcasts, blogs, and social media, to promote understanding of multilingualism, challenge language misconceptions, and combat linguistic discrimination.
Elizabeth Peterson
Elizabeth Peterson, PhD, holds the position of Associate Professor at the University of Jyväskylä and Title of Docent at the University of Helsinki. An immigrant to Finland, she conducts work and research in three languages, mostly on language ideologies, attitudes, and language contact. She has published widely on the role of English in Finland and the world, including a 2019 monograph and an upcoming volume on English in the Nordic Countries (both from Routledge). She is an editor and contributor to the 2022 volume Finnishness, Whiteness and Coloniality (Helsinki University Press). She was part of an EU Erasmus+ project dedicated to connecting Humanities graduates with employers, for which her main role has been facilitating communication and outreach.
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Laura Hekanaho
Laura Hekanaho, PhD, is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Helsinki. She investigated attitudes towards generic and nonbinary 3rd person singular pronouns in her dissertation. Her main research interests include language and gender research, language attitudes, survey research, mixed methods research, statistical modelling, and qualitative analysis (discourse analysis and thematic analysis). She leads the work package on language attitudes.
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Marika Hall
Marika Hall, PhD, has worked as an instructor at the Pennsylvania State University and Juniata College (Pennsylvania, USA), and has experience working with language data in machine learning. Her recent publications include articles on Finnish language education policy, issues of language in Finnish politics, and language ideologies in legislative documents in the U.S. Hall is also the co-editor of a recently published edited volume on Discourse and Ideology. Hall leads the work package on language ideologies.
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Katariina Pyykkö
Katariina Pyykkö, MA, is a Doctoral Researcher at the University of Helsinki. She has experience working as a Finnish and English teacher, primarily in integration training for adult immigrants in Finland. Currently, she is also involved in providing language awareness training for employers and vocational teachers. She is particularly interested in language ideologies, language attitudes, and multilingualism. She leads the work package on the language ideologies and language attitudes of migrants.​
International Advisory Board
The International Advisory Board provides expert guidance and strategic oversight for the research project, ensuring its objectives align with academic standards and societal impact.
