PhD Halmesvirta is interested in intellectual history, political thought (British, Hungarian and Finnish c. 1830–1990) and history of medicine and sports. He has had and has several research projects: Racial Theories about Finns (Academy of Finland, 1983-1987), Kádár’s Hungary, Kekkonen’s Finland (Academy of Finland, 1998-2002), Cultic Representations (Academy of Finland, 2007-2010), The Idea of Degeneration in Finland (Academy of Finland, 1996-1998), Cultural Revival of Minorities in Romanian Banat (1999-2001), Hungary and Finland 1920-1945 (2010-2013), Kulturgeschichte Finnlands (2010-2013), Science and Arts in the Service of Nation-Building (ongoing), The Image of Mannerheim Abroad (ongoing) and Biography of István Bibó (ongoing). Halmesvirta has published thirteen monographs, out of which recommendable are e.g. The British Conception of the Finnish ‘Race’, Nation and Culture, 1760-1918 (SHS, 1990), Turanilaisia ja herrasneekereitä (SHS, 1993), Vaivojensa vangit (Atena, 1998), Ideology and Argument (SHS, 2006), Aatehistorian harjoitus (JYU Press, 2012) Magyarország és Finnország 1920-1945 (Napkút, 2014), Vapauden kapea polku: István Bibón julkinen moralismi (2016, engl. 2017). As an honorary guest at the Frankfurt Book Fair dedicated to Finland Halmesvirta published the first cultural history of Finland in German: Land unter dem Nordlicht: Eine Kulturgeschichte Finnlands (WBG, 2013). Halmesvirta belongs to numerous international (e.g. International Society for Hungarian Studies, Intellectual History Society) and national (Finnish Historical Society) scholarly societies and research groups (see CV), has supervised fifteen doctoral theses (three in process), and has received the medal of Oskari Huttunen Foundation for scholarly merits and of János Lotz for his contribution to Hungarian studies. Halmesvirta is a member of Laajavuoren Rotarit and is a partner in HAI-publications.

International Society for Hungarian Studies, Intellectual History Society