Kai Viiliäinen

I am a doctoral researcher at the Department of History and Ethnology at the University of Jyväskylä. I am interested in social history and themes related to poverty and social disadvantages. My dissertation examines vagrant people in 19th century Finland and the significance of vagrancy in their life cycle. What kind of survival strategies and agency people in a disadvantaged social position had? What was the life course of vagrants like in a society where the lack of annual employment could mean forced labor in penal institutions? I am also interested in the intergenerational aspects of vagrancy. My research is funded by the Emil Aaltonen Foundation (2025: 12 months).