CITIES AND SOCIAL JUSTICE: POTENTIAL PHD TOPICS

3. Urban Memory and Landscape

Landscape and the imprint of conflicting historical memories, ethnic identities and the contested claims over territories and landscapes are key research areas in our cluster. Our research expertise has two regional foci -- one is South and Southeast Europe, with a particular interest in Trieste, and the other is Japan, Taiwan and China.

We would welcome research proposals on:

  • Memory and Landscape in Trieste and the Slav Borderlands.
  • Geographies of Japan and East Asia.
  • Geographies of Empire.

Cluster members interested in potential PhD students in this area:

Paul Waley & Martin Purvis

4. Territorial Governance and Urban Restructuring

Power in cities and regions is being reshaped in the UK and across Europe and East Asia. We are interested in questions of devolution towards regions and city-regions, rescaling and how this is affecting the power of groups in cities. Who governs our cities and regions? How are cities reinvented over time? We would welcome research proposal that look at these questions in the UK, Europe, Tokyo, Taipei and other East Asian Cities.

  • Power in the city.
  • Regions and city-regions.
  • Territorial Politics in Europe and East Asia.
  • Regional policy and uneven development.
  • Urban regeneration.

Cluster members interested in potential PhD students in this area:

Sara Gonzalez, Rachael Unsworth, Paul Waley,
Paul Chatterton, Stuart Hodkinson, Martin Purvis


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5. Cultural Policy and Regeneration

Proposals are welcome in the broad area of cultural and culture-led regeneration, including the use of food and drink spaces in regeneration, creative industries development, cultural policy, festivals and events, cultural tourism and cultural quarters. Culture is a major regeneration focus not only in Europe but increasingly in Chinese, Indian and other major Asian cities.

We welcome research proposals on:

  • Culture-led Regeneration.
  • Hospitality and the City.
  • City living.
  • Re-imagining industrial cities.

Cluster members interested in potential PhD students in this area:

David Bell, Rachael Unsworth, Sara Gonzalez, Stuart Hodkinson, Paul Chatterton, Paul Waley, Gill Valentine

6. Sustainable urban futures

Cities face immense challenges in the coming decades in terms of resource and energy use, transport, food, planning, architecture, work and housing patterns. Many urban areas, both large and small are pioneering new models for creating more sustainable patterns of urban life, while others are struggling to reinvent themselves. As cities grapple with what eco-urbanism, or sustainable urban futures might entail, the very idea of the city is up for grabs, We are interested in research proposals that explore these possible urban futures across a variety of contexts.

We welcome research proposals on:

  • Sustainable models of planning and regeneration
  • Urban food production
  • Ethical consumerism, fair trade, co-operativism
  • Sustainable and eco-housing
  • Localisation
  • Sustainable/green urban economics
  • Renewable energy

Cluster members interested in potential PhD students in this area:

Paul Chatterton, Rachael Unsworth, David Bell, Frances Drake