Katja Lehtisaari, Class of 2018

Wilson Fellow Katja Lehtisaari is launching her new book, Freedom of Expression in Russia's New Mediasphere, in December 2019. Lehtisaari worked on the book while a fellow at the Center in 2018. This book focuses on Russia's increased restrictions on the internet whilst simultaneously consolidating its grip on traditional media. This book examines the current state of the freedom of speech, freedom of expression, and media freedom in Russia, focussing on digital media and cross-media initiatives that bridge traditional and new media spheres.

Lehtisaari is a Doctor of Social Sciences and University Researcher at the Aleksanteri Institute, University of Helsinki and Editor-in-Chief of ‘Idäntutkimus’, the Finnish review for Russian and East European Studies. She has coordinated research on new business models of news media in United States, Nordic countries and Finland.