Current Research Project

Completed research projects 2012:

The impact of immigration on Finnish parents' school choices

The project looks into current situation in Turku including three schools with varying numbers of immigrant families in the area. The objective is to understand some background to parental school choices. Interviews will be conducted with parents of children aged 6-12 years, and with a number of experts. The project is funded by the Ministry of Education in Finland.

Previous Research Projects

Several completed projects with children, young people, families and minority groups in the UK between 2000-2009 in academic, government and charitable sectors. Interests: Qualitative research methodology, research ethics and theoretical sociology.

Higher Education

• 2000-2004 PhD (sosiologia) The University of Surrey, Guildford.
  Väitöskirja: 'An Institutional Ethnography of Young Children's 'Communication/ Difficulties' in Two Specialist Settings'.
• 1999-2000 MA (Econ) (sosiologia) The University of Manchester
• 1996-1999 BA SocScience (sosiologia) The University of Manchester

Selected Publications

Peer reviewed publications and research reports:

Komulainen, S (2012) Porvarillisen idyllin vai pikku-Moskovan lapset? - Monikulttuurisuuden vaikutus suomalaisperheiden koulupaikan valintaan Turussa. Tutkimuksia A 39. Siirtolaisuusinstituutti 2012. 100 s.

Maguire S, Ranmal R, Komulainen S, Pearse S, Maconochie I, Lakhanpaul M, Da-vies F, Kai J, Stephenson T(2011) Which urgent care services do febrile children use and why? in Arch Dis Child, OnLine First 3 June 2011.

Maguire S, Ranmal R, Komulainen S, Pearse S et al (forthcoming in Archives of Disease in Childhood 2011) Which urgent care services do febrile children use and why?

Komulainen S (2011) Integrating quota refugees in Northern England: summary of research results in light of indicators Migration 1/2011, Turku: Institute of Migration; Original report: The Gateway Protection Programme: an evaluation; An overview of Immigration Research and Statistics (IRS) research exploring the integration of refugees resettled under the UK's Gateway Protection Programme in Sheffield, Bolton, Hull and Rochdale (Evans & Murray, 2009)

Komulainen S & Haines L (Research Report; June 2009) Understanding parents' information needs and experiences where professional concerns of non-accidental injury were not substantiated London: RCPCH

Komulainen, S (2007) The ambiguity of the child's 'voice' in social research Childhood, Vol.14, No. 1, pp. 11-28.

Komulainen, S (2005) The contextuality of children's communication difficulties in specialist practice: a sociological account Child Care in Practice, Vol. 11, No. 3, pp. 357-374.