Many Faces of Love goes down into the ever-fascinating romantic love and along with it, into many other forms of love. Among the themes covered in the book, the authors discuss what kinds of opportunities of promoting and developing human well-being love offers. The theme is widely studied internationally, and this book brings together research results around the phenomenon.

The book consists of four main themes. The first one focuses on the phases of romantic love from the first fascination of falling in love all the way to the mature love in senior age. The second chapter analyzes love and education: what is parental love, what does pedagogical love contribute to a teacher's work, and how to strengthen the ability to love. The third chapter views love in relation to its neighboring phenomena: what is similar to love and friendship, creativity, or success at work, and how could love for work enhance well-being? The fourth chapter introduces the dark sides of love, such as morbid love, love addictions, and the pain of a divorce.

The book is suitable for research and teaching purposes. It functions as a text book in psychology, educational sciences, social work, and health sciences, and in other human sciences. In addition, the authors wish that the book will ignite new scientific research and encourage especially Finnish researchers to seize international research on the phenomenon. The Northern Lights in the cover of the book symbolize the multiformity of the phenomenon and the University of Lapland as an inspiring and encouraging research environment.

The book is a part of the strategic lead project of the University of Lapland: Love-based Leadership – An Interdisciplinary Approach. Professor Kaarina Määttä is the scientific leader of the project and Dr. Satu Uusiautti the post-doc researcher/coordinator.

The book has 246 pages. It contains a 37-page-long reference list. The publisher of the book, Sense Publishers, has its main offices in Rotterdam, Holland, and in Boston, USA.

Background of the research
The publication is a result of a long-term and wide-span research work. Prof. Kaarina Määttä started researching love at the University of Lapland at the beginning of the 1990s. After having published several scientific publications and text books on this research theme, Kaarina Määttä expanded her research into international fields through research collaboration with Dr. Satu Uusiautti. Satu Uusiautti graduated as the doctor of education (PhD) from the University of Lapland in 2008 and has researched especially love of work and the connection between love and human well-being since her graduation.

By the time of the publication of this book, the authors have published altogether 41 articles about love and presented their research results in numerous international conferences. Moreover, both of them are active members of editorial boards in several international peer-reviewed journals. In addition, they are members of an international Love Research Network.

Further information about the book and orders

Contact information:
Professor, Vice-Rector Kaarina Määttä
kaarina.maatta (at) ulapland.fi
Tel. +358 400 696 480

Specialist Satu Uusiautti
satu (at) uusiautti.fi
Tel. +358 40 484 4167