YHYS Fall Colloquium 2026

Åbo Akademi University (ÅAU) and University of Turku (UTU) invite you to join the annual colloquium of the Finnish Society for Environmental Social Science (YHYS) 19–20 November in Turku, Finland.

The theme of the YHYS Fall Colloquium 2026 is Facts, Fictions and Sustainable Futures. The colloquium explores how facts, narratives and imaginaries shape environmental action in a time when environmental crises coexist with policy backlash, political contestation and uneven trust in institutions. While environmental knowledge remains widely acknowledged, it is also strategically challenged, reframed or mobilized to serve competing interests, making the interplay between “facts” and “fictions” central to understanding issues such as policy backsliding, climate obstruction and disinformation.

Alongside working group sessions, we will hear four keynote talks by esteemed guests:

More information are to be announced on these web-pages. Pages containing details about the Programme, Keynotes, PhD Event and Sessions will be opened throughout the summer 2026. Please be in touch via yhys2026@abo.fi if you have any queries.

Participation is free of charge for members of the Finnish Society for Environmental Social Science (YHYS). Information about membership is available on the YHYS membership page (external webpage, opens in new tab).

For non-members, the conference fee is:
60 € (regular participants)
30 € (students, including BSc and MSc – does not apply to PhD students)

Please note that the Colloquium participation fee does not include the dinner card (42 €). If attending the dinner, this additional fee is paid upon registration for the colloquium.