Duties
Social impacts of and citizen agency in circular economy, sustainable multi-local living and second homes
Subject area
Education and academic titles
PhD (human geography), University of Eastern Finland
Adjunct professor, Geographies of leisure and second homes, University of Oulu
Research and expertise
- Multi-locality and second homes
- Rural sustainable development
- Social impacts and indicators of circular economy
- Consumer behavior in circular economy, cultural waste and product relationships
- Health and well-being impacts of natural environments
- Cultural human-nature relationships
Projects
- PlastLIFE (2022-2029), Sustainable circular transition of plastics
- KiMaRat (2025-2027), Maaseudun arjen kestävät kiertotalousratkaisut
- Unfolding sense of water (2022-2026), Care across boundaries
- MoniPoka 1-3 (2021-2026), Monipaikkainen Pohjois-Karjala (multi-locality in North Karelia, in Finnish)
- CIRCWASTE (2016 – 2023), Finland as a forerunner of circular economy
- Mökkeilyn hiilijalanjäljen laskenta ja päästövähennyskeinot (2022-2023) (carbon footprint of second homes, in Finnish)
- WasteLess Karelias (2018-2022), Waste management and rural living
- VN TEAS Monipaikkaisuus (2020-2021) Elinvoimainen ja kestävä monipaikkainen Suomi (sustainable multi-locality in Finland, in Finnish)
- MONISOTE (2017-2019), Monipaikkainen elämäntapa ja maaseudun sote-palveluiden järjestäminen (multi-locality and organisation of social and health care services, in Finnish)
- ORIGIN (2016-2018), Outdoor recreation, nature interpretation and integration in Nordic countries
Recent publications
Hannonen, O., Åkerlund, U., & Pitkänen, K. (2024). Recent developments in second home research: has the COVID-19 pandemic spurred a re-thinking of second home mobilities? Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 1-26. https://doi.org/10.1080/15022250.2024.2403539
Pitkänen, K., Karppinen, T. K. M., Kautto, P., Pirtonen, H., Salmenperä, H., Savolahti, H., Schubin, E. & Myllymaa, T. (2023). How to measure the social sustainability of the circular economy? Developing and piloting social circular economy indicators in Finland. Journal of Cleaner Production, 136238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.136238
Pikner, T., Pitkänen, K., & Nugin, R. (2023). Emergent rural–urban relations in Covid‐19 disturbances: Multi‐locality affecting sustainability of rural change. Sociologia Ruralis. https://doi.org/10.1111/soru.12421
Pitkänen, K. & Rantanen, M. (2023). Climate-wise second home tourism: policy and media discourses on the climate impacts of second homes in Finland. In Adie, B.A. & Hall, C.M. (eds.) Second Homes and Climate Change, pp. 56-72. Routledge, London.
Salmenperä, H., Pitkänen, K., Kautto, P., & Saikku, L. (2021). Critical factors for enhancing the circular economy in waste management. Journal of Cleaner Production, 280, 124339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.124339
Pitkänen, K., Hannonen, O., Toso, S., Gallent, N., Hamiduddin, I., Halseth, G., Hall, C.M., Müller, D.K., Treivish.A. & Nefedova, T. (2020). Second homes during corona-safe or unsafe haven and for whom? Reflections from researchers around the world. Matkailututkimus, 16(2), 20-39. https://doi.org/10.33351/mt.97559
Pitkänen, K., Karppinen, T. K. M., Kautto, P., Turunen, S., Judl, J., & Myllymaa, T. (2020). Sex, drugs and the circular economy: the social impacts of the circular economy and how to measure them. In Brandão, M., Lazarevic, D. & Finnveden, G. (eds.). Handbook of the Circular Economy, pp. 162–175, Edward Elgar Publishing.
Pitkänen, K., Lehtimäki, J. & Puhakka, R. (2020). How do rural second homes affect human health and well-being? Review of potential impacts. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(18), 6748. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17186748
Gentin, S., Pitkänen, K., Chondromatidou, A., Præstholm, S., Dolling, A., Palsdottir, A.M. (2019). Nature-based integration of immigrants in Europe: A review. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2019.126379