I work as a university teacher in the Department of Education at the Kokkola University Consortium, University of Jyväskylä. I am teaching a range of different courses. The main focus of my teaching is on sustainability, responsibility, diversity and digital learning. I also supervise teaching placements.
My research has focused very strongly on aspects of diversity and how the conditions for living a good life can be supported in early childhood education, thereby having an impact on society as a whole. These studies have examined, amongst other things, the sense of belonging, the sense of safety and existential resilience.
I am specialised in the concept of superdiversity, which means the diversification of diversities, and in perspectives on supporting families with an immigrant background. My research methods have been qualitative, with constructive grounded theory being the one I have used most frequently, for example in my doctoral thesis (2025).
My recent research focuses has been on the construction of a sense of safety in early childhood, using concepts such as superdiversity, and recognition among other. Also the focus has been on flourishing as the aim of education.
I am also a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Helsinki (https://researchportal.helsinki.fi/fi/persons/lassi-s-lavanti).
