Suvi Soininen

Dr. Suvi Soininen is a researcher in university of Jyväskylä in doctoral researcher’s project “Two Styles of Politics. Parliament in British political theory between the 1920's and 1970's” financed by Academy of Finland

In her ongoing research she deals with British political theory and parliamentarism. Her aim is to analyse how parliamentarism and the concept of “parliament” was discussed in British political theory between the 1920’s and the 1970’s. She asks what exactly does parliamentarism represent in and for political theory. This is because; we can speak of Parliament as being an almost inescapable hold for writing on politics in Britain. On the other hand, e.g. reasons for the disappearance of Parliament from liberal theory in the 1950’s are worth studying. She goes through a wide material of political thought, yet concentrating mainly on academics. Thinkers are divided to represent four different isms in the study, i.e. conservatism, fascism, liberalism and socialism, although it is recognized that boundaries between them are sometimes faltering. An important tool of analysis, which at the same time forms a part of the results of the study, is a division between conversational style of politics and result-oriented style of politics. Originating from Michael Oakeshott’s thought, she argues with the help of this division that not only results or “getting things done” matter in politics, but parliamentary style of discussing, conversing and playing by the rules bear special value in (late) modern politics also.

Selected publications:

Monographs

   * From a 'Necessary Evil' to an Art of Contingency. Michael
Oakeshott's Conception of Political Activity. Exeter: Imprint Academic,
2005, 247 pp.
   * From a 'Necessary Evil' to an art of contingency Michael Oakeshott's
conception of political activity in British postwar political thought.
Diss. Jyväskylä: University of Jyväskylä, 2003, 174 p.

Articles (selected)

   * Lindroos, K. & Soininen, S. (2008). Johdanto. In: K. Lindroos & S.
Soininen (Eds.), Politiikan nykyteoreetikkoja, Helsinki: Gaudeamus. pp.
7-13.
   * A Rubber stamp or a Stage of Depate? Approaches to Parliament in
1930's and 1940's British Political Theory. In S. Soininen & T. Turkka
(Eds.), The Parliamentary Style of Politics, Helsinki: The Finnish
Political Science Association, 2008, pp. 61-82.
   * Michael Oakeshott, liberaali vai konservatiivi? In: K. Lindroos & S.
Soininen (Eds.), Politiikan nykyteoreetikkoja, Helsinki: Gaudeamus. 2008,
270–298.
   * Michael Oakeshott: vapaus, valtio ja politiikka. Niin&Näin, 2008
(3), pp. 50-59.
   * Soininen, S. & Turkka, T. (2008). Introduction. In: S. Soininen & T.
Turkka (Eds.), The Parliamentary Style of Poliitics Valtiotieteellisen
yhdistyksen kirjasarja (24). Helsinki: Finnish political science
association. 9-14.
   * Michael Oakeshott and the Conversational Paradigm of Politics. In:
Redescriptions. Yearbook of Political Thought and Conceptual History,
Münster: LIT Verlag, 2005, pp. 135–156.
   * The Three Faces of Oakeshott. European Journal of Political Theory,
Vol. 4:1, 2005, pp. 109–118.
   * Michael Oakeshott ja politiikan taito. Politiikka, Vol. 46:2, 2005,
pp. 143–147.
   * A Review of Petri Koikkalainen: The Life of Political Philosophy
After Its Death. Politiikka, Vol. 47:2, 2005, pp. 169–170.
   * "Power" ja "Authority" vasta ja rinnakkaiskäsitteinä Michael
Oakeshottin tuotannossa. In: Kananen, Anitta, Palonen Kari and Soininen
Suvi (eds.): Valtapolitiikkaa – analyysejä valtapuheesta. Muistokirja
Iisa Räsäselle. 2000, pp. 171–186.

Edited books

   * Suvi Soininen & Tapani Turkka (Eds.). (2008). The Parliamentary
Style of Politics. Finnish political science association.
Valtiotieteellisen yhdistyksen kirjasarja, 24, 250 pp
   * Kia Lindroos & Suvi Soininen (Eds.). (2008). Politiikan
nykyteoreetikkoja. Helsinki: Gaudeamus. 346 pp.

Homepage www.jyu.fi/polcon