Rethinking Individualism -panel discussion
Stream:
https://tiedekulmamedia.helsinki.fi/en/tiedekulma/event/details/409629901/
Rethinking Individualism – How Choice, Identity, and Community Shape Our Future
What is this panel discussion about?
In today's world, young people face an overwhelming number of choices, rising expectations, and increasingly fragmented support networks. These pressures shape how we learn, build relationships, imagine family life, and feel about the future.
This panel discussion brings together leading Finnish experts to explore one central question:
What happens when individual responsibility grows faster than community support — and how can we rebuild a sense of "we" without sacrificing personal autonomy?
The discussion will explore how contemporary forms of individualism shape wellbeing, learning, and participation, and what kinds of social structures are needed to support healthy individuality rather than isolation or overload.
During the session, the panel will explore three connected themes:
Identity and individuality How does growing up in a culture of endless choice and constant self-definition affect young people's wellbeing, confidence, and ability to learn?
Community, loneliness, and belonging What happens when traditional support networks weaken? Why is loneliness rising even in well-functioning societies? How do feelings of belonging shape mental health?
Family formation and Finland's declining birth rate How do identity pressures, economic uncertainty, and fragile support networks influence decisions around relationships, parenting, and family life? What cultural shifts might help?
Who is speaking?
The session opens with an introductory talk from Frank Martela — Assistant Professor at Aalto University and internationally recognised expert on motivation, wellbeing, and meaning. Author of Stop Chasing Happiness (Atlantic Books, 2025), he has been interviewed by the New York Times, CNN, and BBC, and spoken at Harvard and Stanford.
The topic of Frank's keynote: From Individualism to Relationalism: How Autonomy and Community Shape Wellbeing
The panel features four leading experts:
Anna Rotkirch (Väestöliitto) — Research Professor and Director of the Population Research Institute, with a focus on fertility, family formation, grandparenthood, and relationships.
Sini Forssell (Nyyti) — Specialist and educator at the students' mental health organisation Nyyti ry, with a focus on cultivating compassion and more compassionate ways of being with ourselves and each other in community.
Katarina Pettersson (University of Helsinki) — Assistant Professor of Social Psychology and Academy Research Fellow, whose research focuses on political rhetoric, gendered ideologies, and online hate. She currently leads the YOPO project on gender polarisation among young people.
Jennifer De Paola (University of Helsinki) — Clinical psychologist and researcher whose work on happiness and its cultural dimensions in Finland has been published in leading journals and featured on BBC TV and Business Insider. Her current work focuses on how young people in Finland imagine their futures.
When and where?
Thursday 7 May, 13:00–15:00 Think Corner, Stage — Yliopistonkatu 4, 00100 Helsinki
The event is free to attend and will be held in English. Coffee and snacks will be provided.
Also joining us for the MiniChallenge?
This panel discussion serves as an introduction to the MiniChallenge x Connection, taking place 12–13 May. It's a chance to explore the themes in depth before developing your own ideas further. 👉 Join the MiniChallenge here: https://luma.com/41yie0ml
The session combines short expert insights, moderated discussion, and audience Q&A.
Welcome!