Pirjo Nikander

Tampere University, The Doctoral School, Faculty Member

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Research director of the Tampere University Doctoral School, FINLAND. Member of steering committee of the European University Association Council for Doctoral Education. Beneficiary in Marie Curie ITN Euro-Ageism, and Horizon 2020 project DocEnhance 2020-2022.

After completing my Masters (in Finland) and a PhD in social science (in Loughborough University; UK), my academic experience and expertise comprises qualitative research in the areas of ageing, the workforce, inter-professional decision-making, meetings interaction, the baby-boom generation. I have always had a keen interest in qualitative research methodology, research ethics, and evidence & research design. Currently, my research team is particularly interested in utilising and developing qualitative longitudinal research methodology. I am also a partner in the Marie Skolowska Curie Innovative Training Network EuroAgeism 2017-2020.

On a day-to-day basis, I divide my time between my role as PI in ongoing research projects and my tasks as research director of the Tampere University Doctoral School. I am also active in several international academic journals, and regularly act as external opponent for doctoral dissertations, and teach doctoral courses both in Finland and abroad.
Supervisors: My PhD supervisors were prof. Jonathan Potter https://rutgers.academia.edu/JonathanPotter and and prof. Charles Antaki (Loughborough University, UK). https://www.lboro.ac.uk/subjects/communication-media/staff/charles-antaki/

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Jessica S Robles

Loughborough University

Charalambos Tsekeris

National Centre of Social research

Andreas Umland

National University of "Kyiv-Mohyla Academy"

Maurizio Forte

Duke University

David Seamon

Kansas State University

Armando Marques-Guedes

UNL - New University of Lisbon

Enrico Cirelli

Università di Bologna

Jack Sidnell

University of Toronto

John Sutton

Macquarie University

DAVE HOLMES

University of Ottawa | Université d'Ottawa

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Early Exit Decisions in Finland: Investigating the Limbo between Unemployment and Retirement

Nordic journal of working life studies, Mar 28, 2024

Despite efforts to extend careers, workers continue to withdraw from working life before reaching... more Despite efforts to extend careers, workers continue to withdraw from working life before reaching the old-age pension age. The complexities behind early exit decisions have been extensively studied to understand the individual factors influencing the decision-making processes. However, fewer studies have attempted to understand how underlying cultural notions of age shape these decisions. Using qualitative longitudinal interview data from Finland, this article examined how individuals in the Finnish unemployment pathway to retirement position themselves between unemployment and retirement by drawing on age-specific discourses. Findings show that early exit was framed as the least problematic career option, although colored with ambiguity and anxiety. Individuals did not view themselves as retirees, and some expressed interest in continuing work. Nevertheless, age norms together with experienced, internalized, and expected ageism pushed individuals toward exit, highlighting the need to better understand and support individuals experiencing late-life unemployment.

Pirjo Nikander

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