December 2011

New book published: Ben Derudder, Michael Hoyler, Peter J. Taylor and Frank Witlox (eds.) 2012, International Handbook of Globalization and World Cities, Cheltenham, UK, Northampton, MA, USA: Edward Elgar, 584 pp, ISBN 978-1-84844-647-2.

This Handbook offers an unrivalled overview of current research into how globalization is affecting the external relations and internal structures of major cities in the world. By treating cities at a global scale, it focuses on the 'stretching' of urban functions beyond specific place locations, without losing sight of the multiple divisions in contemporary world cities. The book firmly bases city networks in their historical context, critically discusses contemporary concepts and key empirical measures, and analyses major issues relating to world city infrastructures, economies, governance and divisions. The variety of urban outcomes in contemporary globalization is explored through detailed case studies.

Edited by leading scholars of the Globalization and World Cities (GaWC) Research Network (centred at Loughborough University) and written by over 60 experts in the field, the Handbook is a unique resource for students, researchers and academics in urban and globalization studies as well as for city professionals in planning and policy.

November 2011

Conference - Geographies of Education 2012

October 2011

Conference - POPFEST 2012

September 2011

New report on Local Enterprise Partnerships

Dr John Harrison has recently completed an evaluation of Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) – the UK Government's preferred model for subnational economic development and governance. Extending previous research on the evolution of city-regionalism in England, this research was uniquely positioned to offer an 'in retrospect', 'in snapshot' and 'in prospect' take on whether LEPs are worthy successors to the regional tier of government they are set to replace. In addition, the research sought to identify opportunities and barriers to achieve better integrated policymaking across a 'functional geography' in England. Copies of Final and Summary Reports are available to view @ http://www-staff.lboro.ac.uk/~gyjh2/LEPs.html.

!!NEW!!Highly-skilled migrants and the promotion of entrepreneurship in the UK.

On-going research by Adam Warren and Liz Mavroudi of CRIGS, Geography Department, presented at the RGS-IBG Annual International Conference in London, was reported in the THES:

Visa reform: Not welcome here?
Students from outside the European Union could be deterred from applying to UK universities because they now believe it is much harder to gain post-study work visas. The findings were made by academics at Loughborough University's department of geography, who looked at how foreign nationals viewed the introduction of biometric residence permits in 2008, and have since broadened their research to consider the impact of more recent immigration changes. Adam Warren and Elizabeth Mavroudi, who presented their research to the annual international conference of the Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers) in London last week, said many students now sensed that they were no longer welcome in the UK.

Link: http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=417348&c=1

CRIGS members very active at RGS-IBG Annual International Conference 2011

Members of the CRIGS research group convened sessions which filled 15 slots on the conference programme, demonstrating both the coherent and varied research interests of the group:

• City-region governance: ten years on

• Education and the state

• New family population geographies

• Postgraduate research on contemporary population geographies

• Youth migration and mobilities

• Youth in the global south

In total, 14 papers were delivered by members of CRIGS at the conference, in sessions sponsored by a range of Research Groups of the RGS-IBG: Geographies of Children, Youth and Families; Developing Areas; History and Philosophy; Planning and Environment; Population Geography; and Urban Geography.

July 2011

British Academy Mid-Career Fellowship:  Professor Sarah Holloway has been awarded a British Academy Mid-Career Fellowship.  This Fellowship is designed to support outstanding individual researchers and communicators who promote public understanding and engagement with the social sciences and humanities.  The Fellowship will relieve her of normal duties for one year, during which time she will focus on a project entitled ‘Geographies of education and the significance of children, youth and families’.

British Academy Post-Doctoral Fellowship: Dr Helena Pimlott-Wilson has been successful in obtaining a 3-year British Academy Post-Doctoral Fellowship.  These Fellowships are designed to enable outstanding early career researchers to strengthen their experience of research and teaching in a university environment, in order to develop their curriculum vitae and improve their prospects of obtaining permanent lecturing posts.  Dr Pimlott-Wilson intends to use the Fellowship, which will commence in January 2012, to pursue a programme of research about ‘Work-life balance: young people’s family experience, its impact on their future aspirations and changes over time’.

November 2010

It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden death of David Evans. David joined the department in 1979. At the time of his death he was lecturing part-time. In addition to work on the National Forest, he had been an active member of the Globalization and World Cities Research Network.

March 2010

The Department recently received the sad news of the passing of Professor Richard Lawton, Emeritus Professor of Geography (Liverpool) on 22nd March 2010, aged 85. Dick's last academic post was as External Professor at Loughborough from 1986-1990, having received an honoury degree from the University in 1985. Generously, in 1993 he established a covenant from which the Richard and Margaret Lawton prize for best final year student is now awarded. An esteemed historical geographer who wrote extensively on nineteenth century economic and social geographies, especially industrial geographies of his native North West, he continued to publish well into his 70s and his four years as External Professor at Loughborough were extremely productive ones. The Department offers its condolences to his family and friends, and remembers him with affection and admiration.