Topic
Economy
Commentary
The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted the relevance of reviewing our economic system and how dependent our societies are on economic growth. What will we do if we suddenly find ourselves in a situation where economic growth is simply not possible – or perhaps even desirable – anymore? How can our…
When looking at the reactions and implementations of the governments in different countries concerning the ongoing economic crisis, the actions differentiate from previous such crises in two ways: 1) the immediate political response won’t be built around the idea of austerity, i.e. public spending is not to undergo significant cuts;…
In this blog post I’ll first discuss about the purpose of the economy and second, I’ll pinpoint the discussion to one specific solution to a problem of the current economic policy. This solution is called the Economy of Wellbeing. I hope that the insights for these two topics awoke interesting…
It has been exciting to read the news and commentaries on the preliminary results of the Finnish basic income experiment. Seldom if ever have we seen so many articles published on an academic study almost in real time, written by journalists, experts and enthusiasts from all over the globe. Two…
Companies have assets and expertise we already know will significantly decrease in value, yet are stubbornly kept in the books at high valuations. Similar to a failing organ in an aging body, there is a nasty surprise in the waiting on the balance sheets as well.
Publications
The policy brief provides a roadmap for the EU to reform its economic policies and leverage digitalisation for a regenerative digital economy, ensuring the just allocation of digital goods and the equitable distribution of their benefits.
Over the last few years, the transition to a sustainable future has increasingly started to determine the direction of society and the economy — most notably through investments in new technologies and real capital. However, how can we make these investments matter if we lack the skills to utilise and develop them?
In this publication, we suggest that the premises of our economies are in flux, requiring the state to take on a new role in governing the economy: the role of the orchestrator. An orchestrating state conducts its economic policy by closely working with its key stakeholders to achieve explicitly and democratically defined goals.
Projects
Even though economic instruments for sustainability purposes have long been implemented in the national policies across the Nordics, their effectiveness remains understudied. This project evaluates the effectiveness of environmental taxes and charges in shifting behaviours of consumers and producers towards a more sustainable direction in the Nordic countries.
Despite being an established indicator of economic growth, GDP is debated to overlook the true essence of citizens’ quality of life and overall wellbeing. This project aims to improve knowledge on indicators beyond GDP, alternative and more sustainable policy options, and scenarios for a sustainable future.
As technological breakthroughs can play a critical role in addressing societal challenges, research & innovation (R&I) policy needs to shift the focus from merely appreciating the inherent value of technology development to exploring how they can be harnessed for achieving key societal goals. This project aims to produce a knowledge base to ensure Finland’s R&I policy is strategically impactful while remaining supportive of emerging technologies.
People
Ella Välimäki
Ella is an Expert at Demos Helsinki, working at the intersection of society, technology, and the wellbeing economy. She focuses on how engagement and interaction can serve as tools for societal transformation. With a background in international relations and EU politics, Ella is driven by a desire to support a…
Anni Saviniemi
Anni is passionate about making sustainability the default in everyday life—an ambition she approaches by focusing on societal and structural changes. She brings expertise in understanding everyday practices, the role of materiality, and how knowledge is produced and shared. Currently, Anni is completing her master’s degree in sociology at University…
Sahib Singh
Sahib spends his time at Demos Helsinki’s preoccupied by just democratic futures and global governance. At the moment he won’t stop nattering about the need to think systemically and critically about democratic innovations, the political economy of global governance institutions and modes of effective alliance building. At his best, Sahib’s…
Theo Cox
Theo is our first port of call for all things heterodox economics and political economy, although, when pressed, he’ll quietly admit to an education as a more traditional economist. In recent years, he’s developed particular expertise around global polycrisis and what this means for systemic transformation; in an organisation fighting…
Anna Björk
Anna is a political scientist whose academic love affairs include research on political concepts, societal impacts of emerging technologies, and temporality. Her current and upcoming research analyses societal transformations from the perspectives of the EU digital policy, contemporary social contracts, and inclusivity. Alongside doing research, Anna is also working closely…
Otso Sillanaukee
Otso aims to ensure that Demos Helsinki is focusing on the right questions related to people and organisations’ agency in building a fair, sustainable, and joyful next era. His accountabilities include identifying impact opportunities, ensuring projects run smoothly towards their goals, and supporting the team’s wellbeing and motivation to tackle…
Julia Jousilahti
Julia is a social scientist working in Demos Helsinki’s Emancipatory Economy team. As the economy is a man-made system and not a force of nature, Julia is convinced we can build a better economic system – one that admits the fundamental interconnectedness with nature and guarantees the basic assets of…
Johannes Nuutinen
Leading societal transformations is no easy task that we have chosen here at Demos Helsinki. It requires constant strategic planning and new initiatives. Luckily, Johannes brings clarity to all the ambiguity surrounding half-drawn visions of impact. This means finding the relevant concrete steps to implement new forms of collaboration or…
Oona Frilander
Oona Frilander (M.Econ.) is a senior consultant at Demos Helsinki. She works to understand long-term societal change and rapid transformation of private, public and third sector organizations’ operational environments. Her expertise lies in strategic foresight and cross-sectoral partnerships for solving societal challenges. Oona is also is a lecturer through the…
Roope Mokka
Roope is all about the future. For many the future seems scary, but where some see problems Roope sees solutions. He has an exceptional mindset to see the pathway for societal transformation. He gathers impactful alliances through various fields to work together with a shared goal. Whether it is learning…
Themes
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Letter: Results of Finland’s Basic Income Experiment Will Help Us Build the Post-Pandemic Society
May 8, 2020
It all started as a curiosity in 2015. Now, the whole world is looking into universal basic income to stimulate the economy. The timing of Finland’s basic income experiment results could not have been better. But what can we learn from it when reimagining the post-pandemic economy and society? It…