Memoir Jaakko Nousiainen 1931–2022

University of Turku former Chancellor and Professor of Political Science Jaakko Nousiainen died in Turku on March 24, 2022. He was 90 years old, born in Pälkjärvi on December 20, 1931.

Nousiainen defended his doctorate in political science at the University of Helsinki at the age of 24. He was appointed Professor of Political Science at the University of Turku in 1963. He was the first to hold the position of Professor of Political Science at the University of Turku until 1993.

Under the leadership of Nousiainen, the Turku School of Political Science was established at the University of Turku. It was characterized by an exploratory focus on the functioning of government institutions and their power relations.

Nousiainen’s own interests included the position of the President of the Republic, the Government and Parliament in the Finnish political system. In the 1980s, these institutional research projects expanded as international cooperation for the comparative examination of governments and parliaments in developed democracies.

Nousiainen’s students have served as both members of parliament and ministers, as ambassadors, heads of chancellors, mayors and editors-in-chief of newspapers.

Ascendant has left a strong mark on Finnish constitutional development. As an expert, he participated in the preparation of both the partial reforms of our constitution in the 1990s and the 2000 Constitution.

In 2016, the Finnish Cultural Foundation awarded him the Lifetime Achievement Award for promoting parliamentarism.

In the administration of the University of Turku, Nousiainen served at various times as Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Vice-Rector of the University, Chairman of the Board and Chancellor.

As a supervisor, Nousiainen was a supporter of an interactive discussion culture, which in decision-making sought to find mutually acceptable solutions through open discussion.

Behind the official and formal façade, a sociable gentleman was found in Nousiainen, who was ready to take part in the play production of the subject of political science, which was presented several times, as well as in the leisure time outside the working hours of the subject and faculty staff.

In her free time, Nousiainen enjoyed her summer apartment in Korppoo with her family. From there he made sailing trips to the archipelago and the North Baltic Sea.

Heikki Paloheimo

The author is a student and long-term teacher of Jaakko Nousiainen.