Elina Kilpi-Jakonen
elina.kilpi-jakonen@utu.fi +358 29 450 2335 +358 44 274 6613 Assistentinkatu 7 Turku ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0526-0170 |
social inequality; education; children of immigrants; intergenerational inequality; quantitative methods
My research focuses on social inequalities in education and the labour market, in particular those related to ethnicity, gender and social origin. I'm also interested in the wellbeing of young people and its links to education and social stratification more broadly. I mostly use quantitative methods in my research.
Current research projects:
I lead the Young First project, which has received funding from NordForsk for the years 2025–27. The consortium includes researchers from the universities of Iceland, Helsinki and Aarhus.
I lead a work package in the SISU Sufficiency solutions for a resilient, green, and just Finland project, which has received funding from the Strategic Research Council (first cycle 2023–26).
I'm co-leader of a work package in the Children First project, which has received funding from NordForsk for the years 2023–26.
Previous research projects (most recent):
I was co-leader of a work package in the Mapping Inequalities through the Life Course (MapIneq) project, which received funding from Horizon Europe for the years 2022–25.
I was the PI of the "Contexts of Youths' Inclusion: Understanding social participation, belonging and civic engagement in the growth environments of culturally diverse youth" project, which received funding from the Turku Urban Research Programme for the years 2022–23.
I was Academy Research Fellow, PI of the project "Children of Immigrants, Language and Integration in Europe" which received funding from the Research Council of Finland for the years 2018–2024.
I generally teach courses related to advanced quantitative methods and social inequality, including courses related to ethnicity and migration.
In the academic year 2025–26, I co-supervise Master's students working on their thesis for the INVEST Master's program (leading one of the research seminars), I co-ordinate the research seminar for the INVEST doctoral program together with Claire Garandeau, I teach a course on register data with Jani Erola, and a course on migration and ethnicity with Kirsi Peltonen.
- Health Shocks and earnings trajectories: A comparative study of migrants and natives in Finland (2026)
- Journal of Migration and Health
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - How loneliness and school connectedness associate with academic self-efficacy in upper secondary education: a longitudinal analysis (2026)
- Social Psychology of Education
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Leaving Home in Finland: How Your Neighborhood —and Your Roots— Shape Your Path to Independence (2026)
- INVEST blog
(E1 Popularised blog post) - Childhood Geographical Mobility, Local Opportunity Structures, and the Pursuit of Higher Education (2025) Karonen, Esa; McMullin, Patricia; Kilpi-Jakonen, Elina; Erola, Jani
(D4 Published development or research report or study ) - Economic Circumstances of Children Living in Higher and Lower-Educated Families and the Contribution of Household Structure: A Cross-Country Comparison with a Child’s Perspective (2025)
- Studies of Transition States and Societies
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Ethnic differences in leaving home: The neighbourhood context in Finland (2025) Schwanitz, Katrin; Kilpi-Jakonen, Elina; Seger, Aleksi
(D4 Published development or research report or study ) - Inequalities in early childhood and families (2025) Erola, Jani; Heiskala, Laura; Karonen, Esa; Kilpi-Jakonen, Elina
(D4 Published development or research report or study ) - Influence of track placement and teachers' perceptions of children's academic schoolwork skills on the development of children's motivational self-beliefs and achievement (2025)
- Teaching and Teacher Education
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Intergenerational social mobility of cohorts born from 1951 to 1980 in Finland (2025)
- Acta Sociologica
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Leaving Home in Finland: A Comparison by Migration Origin and Neighbourhood Context (2025)
- Population, Space and Place
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)
- SISU (jatko)01.10.2026 - 30.09.2029
- INVEST Research Flagship Centre
- YoungFirst01.11.2025 - 31.07.2027
- INVEST Research Flagship Centre
- SISU01.10.2023 - 30.09.2026
- INVEST Research Flagship Centre



