Current Projects at the Institute 
Political developments in Russia, Russian foreign policy, international democracy promotion, EU’s Eastern Partnership, Council of Europe, OSCE

Academic Degrees
Ph.D. in International Relations, The London School of Economics and Political Science (2007)

M.Soc.Sci. in Political History, University of Helsinki (2002) 

Professional Experience
Sinikukka Saari has worked at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs for many years, first as a research assistant and then as a researcher. She has taught International Relations and Russian Studies both at the University of Helsinki and at the London School of Economics. Before her career in research, Dr. Saari gained professional experience in St. Petersburg and in New York.

Publications

Russia Lost or Found? Patterns and Trajectories. Edited together with Hiski Haukkala. Helsinki: Edita, 2009.

Promoting Democracy and Human Rights in Russia. London: Routledge, 2009 

 'Democracy promotion and Russia after the colour revolutions', Democratization, vol. 16, no 4, 2009

 'Russia's Creeping Challenge to European Norms', a chapter in Ted Hopf (ed.), Russia's European Choice? Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan, 2008

Book review: Juri Dzibladze, Anna Sevortjan and Airi Leppänen (eds.) ' Venäjän ihmisoikeusliike'  [‘Russia's human rights movement’] in Idäntutkimus 3/2008

 'Do the new dividing lines tear up the OSCE?', European Security OSCE Review, vol. 16,  2/2008

 Chapter on Russia's foreign policy in Haasteiden Venäjä [Russia of Challenges], Ministry of Defence, April 2008 (with Tuomas Forsberg, Hanna Smith, Hiski Haukkala and Pia Nordberg)

Book review: Helena Rytövuori-Apunen, Unionin ajan idänpolitiikka [The Finnish Eastern Policy since the EU Membership], UP Ulkopolitiikka, 1/2008

 'Façade collapsing?' Russian Duma election in perspective, FIIA Briefing Paper, December 2007

 ‘Venäjä kehittelee vastalääkettä demokratiavirukseen’ [Russia develops an antidote for the democracy virus], UP Ulkopolitiikka 3/2007

'What Went Wrong with Russian Elections?' in European Security OSCE Review, vol.14, October 2006

'Ei syytä juhlaan' [No cause for a party], a column on military service in Russia in Amnesty-tiedote, September 2006

'Human Rights Cooperation between Russia and the European Intergovernmental Organisations: A One-Way Transference of Norms or a Mutual Process of Interaction?', UPI Working Paper 54, 2006

‘Tehottomuus uhkaa EU:n ihmiskaupan torjuntaa’ [Inefficiency Threatens the EU's Fight against Human Trafficking], Ulkopolitiikka, 1/2006

'Balancing between Inclusion and Exclusion: The EU's Fight against Irregular Migration and Human Trafficking from Ukraine, Moldova and Russia', CHALLENGE Working Paper, LSE, January 2006

Book review: Antti Karppinen: Minne troikka rientää? WSOY 2003, The Yearbook of Finnish Foreign Policy, FIIA, 2004

’Venäjän haalistuva demokratia' [Russia's Fading Democracy], Ulkopolitiikka 2/2003

'Suomi ja Neuvostoliiton hajoaminen' [Finland and the Disintegration of the Soviet Union] with Christer Pursiainen. Two chapters in Suomi ja kriisit: vaaran vuosista terrori-iskuihin (eds. Tuomas Forsberg at al.) Helsinki: Gaudeamus, 2003

Book review: Daniel C. Thomas: The Helsinki Effect in Idäntutkimus 3/2002

'Venäjän ja Naton suhteen uljas uusi alku?' [Brave New Beginning for Russia-NATO relations?], Ulkopolitiikka 2/2002

'Et tu Brute! Finland's NATO Option and Russia', UPI Report, May 2002 (with Christer Pursiainen)

Languages

Finnish, English, Russian