Upcoming Committee Vacancies

Our next AGM takes place on Wednesday September 3rd, at 9am. We have exciting opportunities for new committee members to join our activities – if you are thinking of joining the research group, see details of committee roles below.

Social Media & Website Officer (two-year post)

The Social Media & Website Officer of SCGRG will:

  • Take the lead in posting content promoting SCGRG activities on the group’s social media channels.
  • Maintain the SCGRG website, ensuring key content (e.g. committee roles, annual conference information) is kept up to date. 
  • Post content (on either social media and/or the website, as appropriate) generated by other committee members to promote group activities.
  • Support wider research group activities

Treasurer (three-year term)

The Treasurer is a member of the executive committee of the Research Group, alongside the Chair and Secretary. The main duties of the Treasurer are:

  • Keeps the accounts for the group
  • Ensures payments are made on behalf of the group
  • Compiles and submits the group’s annual financial reporting
  • Decision-making on committee activities as part of the Executive
  • Support and, where appropriate, co-lead research group activities

The Treasurer is expected to be a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG). Those who are interested in taking on a Research Group executive committee role (Chair, Secretary, Treasurer), but whose circumstances prevent them from taking up Society Fellowship, are invited to submit an expression of interest for a bursary to support Fellowship using the form available here: https://www.rgs.org/research/research-groups/resources-for-research-group-committees#executive-role-bursaries

There has been one internal expression of interest in this role.

Dissertation Prize Officer (two-year term)

The research group receives nominations for best undergraduate dissertation in the UK each summer, awarding a prize of £50 to the winner, and a one-year subscription to the journal Social and Cultural Geography to the winner and runner-up. The role of the dissertation prize officer is to:

  • Coordinate the judging and awarding of prizes for dissertations in line with the Research Group’s policy.
  • Update the RGS with details of winners
  • Liaise with the Treasurer to award prize money
  • Support wider research group activities

Conference Officer (two-year term)

The conference officer:

  • Coordinates the group’s activities at the RGS annual conference, including preparing the call for session sponsorship, organising sponsorship of sessions, leading the publicity of sponsored sessions, and managing Research Group Guest registration applications
  • Ensures conference information is made available on the research group website and social media
  • May also co-organise other events (e.g. workshops, seminars) for the group
  • Support wider research group activities

How to Apply

If you are interested in any of the roles above, please fill in the MS Form here: https://forms.office.com/e/w8Ex1jWXzQ

The deadline for applications is 12pm, Tuesday 2nd September.

Our committee secretary will contact you with the Teams link in advance of the AGM, where nominations will take place.

Our AGM takes place on MS Teams on Wednesday September 3rd at 9am. Candidates are normally expected to attend. If this presents difficulty, please contact the Group Secretary, Sinéad O’Connor (sio13@aber.ac.uk).

Call for session sponsorship – RGS-IBG annual conference 2025

The RGS-IBG Social and Cultural Geography Research Group (SCGRG) would like to invite expressions of interest for sponsored sessions for the RGS-IBG 2025 Annual Conference, which will take place in Birmingham and online from the evening of Tuesday 26th to Friday 29th August.

The theme for the 2025 Annual Conference, chaired by Professor Patricia Noxolo (University of Birmingham, UK), is ‘Geographies of Creativity/Creative Geographies’. You can find out more about the conference at: https://www.rgs.org/research/annual-international-conference

SCGRG is keen to sponsor sessions that directly relate to the conference theme, as well as make room for a wide range of other issues and topics. We welcome sessions which will be of wide significance and interest to social and cultural geographers, will meaningfully contribute to ongoing debates in social and cultural geography, and demonstrate substantive, methodological or theoretical novelty.

Please take note of the guidelines for session organisers: https://www.rgs.org/research/annual-international-conference/call-for-sessions-papers-and-posters

Please submit your expressions of interest for SCGRG sponsorship by 5pm GMT on Friday 31st January 2025 through: https://tinyurl.com/3nnwxnhv
We will endeavour to inform applicants of the outcome by Monday 24th February 2025.

Questions about SCGRG sponsored sessions should be directed to the SCGRG conference officer Rishika Mukhopadhyay: r.mukhopadhyay@soton.ac.uk.

Celebrating 50 years of Social and Cultural Geography

To mark the 50th anniversary of our research group, the committee organised a day-long event to celebrate this milestone and reflect on its evolution over five decades. We were kindly hosted by the University of Nottingham’s Department of Geography, to whom we would like to extend our since thanks. We would also like to express our deep gratitude to the wonderful participants and attendees who took the time to come along and celebrate with us, particularly those who contributed to our panel sessions throughout the day.

You can read more about the event here: https://www.rgs.org/about-us/our-work/latest-news/celebrating-50-years

Upcoming Early Career Events

We’re thrilled to announce another exciting workshop for our early career event series. Please feel free to join and share.

Social and Cultural Science Policy Interfacing Pathways: Understanding, Knowledge and Career Journey

12.00 – 12.40 (GMT) 28 November, via Zoom

Professor Nidhi Nagabhatla

Registration: https://shorturl.at/yUtS7

In this event, Nidhi will share her rich experience and tips with junior colleagues on how to navigate Social and Cultural Geographies’ Science Policy Interfacing Pathways much more easily and confidently. This event is specifically friendly to junior geographers interested in developing their career, including how to exert larger policy-making impacts of their projects mingling with diverse stakeholders.

The intersection of science and policy has become increasingly vital, creating a wealth of career opportunities for individuals passionate about making a difference. Science policy interfacing focuses on how scientific knowledge can inform public policy decisions, ensuring that evidence-based practices are integrated into governance and societal frameworks. This dynamic field offers diverse pathways for those interested in bridging the gap between scientific research and policymaking, making it an exciting area for aspiring professionals. Entering the realm of science policy often begins with a solid educational foundation.

To succeed in policy interfacing, a strong foundation in social scientific literacy is crucial for effectively translating complex research findings into actionable policy recommendations. The ability to convey complex information clearly and concisely is vital for influencing decision-makers. Analytical skills are also important. Furthermore, strong interpersonal skills are essential for building relationships with stakeholders across sectors—scientists, policymakers, advocacy groups—facilitating effective collaboration. Early career researchers are increasingly as valuable contributors to the science-policy interface. They bring fresh perspectives and up-to-date knowledge of current research trends that can enhance evidence-informed policymaking. ECRs can engage through co-created initiatives aimed at bridging research with policy needs while seeking mentorship from established professionals in the field.

Nidhi Nagabhatla is Senior Fellow and Cluster Coordinator: Nature, Climate and Health program at United Nations University (CRIS) and Research Professor at University of Ghent, Belgium. She is Sustainability Science Specialist and System Analyst. With >23 years of work experience, she has led, coordinated, and implemented transdisciplinary projects in various geographical regions of Asia, Africa, Europe, and Americas working with international organizations, viz., IWMI, World Fish Centre, IUCN, Asia Pacific Climate Centre, and United Nations University (INWEH) leading research and capacity development initiatives. She is also affiliated with leading academic institutes: Oxford University (UK) and Leibniz University (Germany) in various roles, mostly related to sustainability research, science-policy interfacing, and mentoring young professionals. She is Adjunct Associate Professor at the School of Earth, Environment & Society McMaster University, Canada, and Guest Professor at Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, Bolivia. She serves as Chair of The Partnership for Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction (UNEP) and co-leads the ‘Water and Migration Working Group’ of The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. She also served on the Technical Committee of The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) from 2013 to 2018 and was Lead Author in the Global Assessment Report. She also served as Vice-Chair and Chair of the Steering Board for Young Professional Platform for Agriculture Research and Development (YPARD), FAO from 2011 to 2018.

Currently, she is actively involved with three expert working committees of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030). She holds a doctoral degree from the Indian Space Research Organization in Environmental Science, post-doctoral experience working Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), and a diploma in International Humanitarian Law from The National Academy of Legal Studies and Research, India. She holds executive education from Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, where she affiliates as a Chevening Fellow with the Future Leaders Programme of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, UK. She has published more than 200 papers as peer-reviewed journal articles, chapters, conference papers, workshop contributions, and policy briefs and serves on the editorial and review committee of numerous international journals.
 

SCGRG Early Career Events

With the success of our SCGRG Early Career Event Series in the last academic year, we are thrilled to announce the first event in our Early Career Event Series: Language and the city: Thinking through Jiehebu, with Dr Yimin Zhao, who will share their recent research and career development experience. 

In the Q&A audiences can interact with our guest to explore the event topic with tips on (early) career development, especially friendly to colleagues new to our event series and planning their research projects and/or career development.

12.00 – 12.40 GMT 13 November ONLINE

Registration: https://forms.office.com/r/atR8W6Z9FW


In this talk, Yimin will first revisit previous reflections on the “translational turn” through the Jiehebu case in Beijing, and summarise why and how our attention to the vernacular names of urban spatialities are with theoretical and epistemological significance. Instead of appealing to “ambiguous markers,” often and mainly written in English, Yimin would like to highlight the meaning of vernacular terms in doing critical urban studies – and human geography more broadly. Yimin shows that we should rethink exteriority and otherness and “shape individual and collective dispositions to acknowledge the claims of others” (Barnett 2005: 5). In this regard, language embodied in the vernacular terms should be foregrounded in decolonial endeavours as a key aspect of (rethinking) subjectivity – and being.

Yimin Zhao is Assistant Professor in Department of Geography, Durham University. His research focuses on urban periphery and the state in China and East Asia, particularly through the analytical lenses of language, materiality and everyday life. After previous investigations of Beijing’s green belts and the Jiehebu area, his current research develops along two lines of inquiry, one attending to the infrastructural lives of authoritarianism and the other looking into the urban mechanisms of “Global China.” He is an editor of City, and a corresponding editor of International Journal of Urban and Regional Research.

Social and Cultural Geography Research Group 50th Anniversary Celebration

Wednesday 6th November 2024, 10.30am – 4pm,
University of Nottingham.

2024 marks 50 years since the formation of what is now the RGS-IBG’s Social and Cultural Geography Research Group (SCGRG), which began its life as the Social Geography Study Group of the Institute of British Geographers. To mark this milestone in our sub-discipline and reflect on its evolution over five decades, the SCGRG Committee invites you to join us for a day of discussion, debate and celebration at the University of Nottingham.

Across the day, we will explore the conditions, promises and futures of social and cultural geographies today. As lures for this collective thinking, we’ll hold sessions including a reflective discussion panel with Professor Chris Philo revisiting the 1991 self-published study group compilation New Words, New Worlds, and a panel exploring cross-subdisciplinary connections with representatives from a range of RGS-IBG study groups, including PolGRG. Focussed on exchange and mutual support, we’ll hold parallel sessions for early-career and mid-career scholars to share experiences of navigating the contemporary academy, and if there’s interest, make a space available to exhibit your creative and non-traditional research outputs (BYO!).

We ask those on longer-term contracts to contribute a £15 registration fee towards the cost of catering. The event is free for postgraduate students and precariously employed early career scholars; use the code ‘SCRG50‘ during checkout on the RGS-IBG website.

A number of postgraduate travel bursaries of up to £100 will be available to postgraduate students; application is also below. Please note we can only offer contributions to travel costs, and cannot cover costs associated with accommodation. Applications have been extended to Friday October 4th, with outcomes communicated late the following week. 

How to register:

  1. Register for the event via the RGS-IBG.
  2. Fill out an additional form for event planning purposes.
Step 1. Book via the RGS-IBG
Step 2. Fill the event planning form

Registration closes on Wednesday 23 October, or earlier if venue capacity is reached.

Please note that this will be an in-person event, but we plan to host a set of online events to mark SCGRG’s anniversary throughout 2025. For more information, contact SCGRG Chair, Rebecca Collins.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Event program

Lunch, cakes, tea and coffee provided on the day.

10.00 Registration open
10.30-10.45Welcome
10.45-11.30Panel 1: New Words, New Worlds revisited –
Speakers: Jane M Jacobs, David Matless, Chris Philo
(Chairs: Adam Searle, OCM & Vickie Zhang, Treasurer)
11.30-11.45Break
11.45-12.30Parallel sessions:
1. PGR/ECR research exchange –
Participants: all session attendees
(Chairs: Toni Beardmore & Liv Robinson, PG Representatives)
2. Navigating mid-career –
Speakers: Ben Anderson, Leila Dawney, Tariq Jazeel
(Chair: Sinéad O’Connor, Secretary)
12.30-13.30Lunch
13.30-14.15Panel 2: Social and cultural cross-subdisciplinary conversations –
Speakers: Julian Brigstocke (HPGRG), Stephen Daniels, Nigel De Noronha (RACE), Sarah Mills (PolGRG), Helena Pimlott-Wilson (GCYFRG)
(Chair: Jason Luger, OCM)
14.15-14.30Afternoon tea
14.30-15.30World Café: The futures of social and cultural geographies –
Participants: all attendees
(Chair: Rebecca Collins, Chair)
15.30-15.45Wrap-up, thanks, next steps

Some photos taken during the event…

Upcoming events: AGM and 50th Anniversary Celebration

The SCGRG has two upcoming events that they would like to share. We are especially excited about a special event to celebrate and reflect on 50 years of the study group, to which all members past, present and future are warmly invited:

50th Anniversary Celebration

Wednesday 6th November 2024, 10am-4.30pm
University of Nottingham

2024 marks 50 years since the formation of what is now the Social and Cultural Geography Research Group (SCGRG), beginning life as the Social Geography Study Group of the Institute of British Geographers. To mark this milestone in our sub-discipline and reflect on its evolution over five decades, the SCGRG Committee warmly invites you to join us for a day of discussion, debate and celebration in Nottingham. All are welcome!

More details and sign up here: https://forms.gle/hExKnWdVn76uHtZG9

Annual General Meeting

Wednesday 4th September, 2pm-3pm
Online – MS Teams (register for link)

The group’s AGM will take place online the Wednesday after the RGS-IBG Annual Conference. All welcome! The AGM is an opportunity to hear about what the research group has been up to this year, as well as contribute to plans for 2024-25, including events to celebrate our 50th anniversary.

We also have two committee positions to fill: Digital Communications Officer and Memberships Officer. For more information, or to nominate for a position, contact SCGRG Chair, Rebecca Collins rebecca.collins@chester.ac.uk.

Register here: https://forms.gle/FkebRbQH2aewzWR19

Social & Cultural Geography Dissertation Prize 2024

The RGS-IBG Social and Cultural Geography Research Group is pleased to offer an annual prize of £100 for the best undergraduate dissertation. In addition, we will announce a Runner-Up prize. Both prize-winners will receive a year’s subscription to the Journal of Social and Cultural Geography published by Taylor & Francis. Please see the mission statement on the SCGRG website for our definition of social and cultural geography.

Nominated dissertations should: be an outstanding theoretical and/or empirical piece of work; usually approx.10,000 words in length; submitted for formal assessment in the preceding academic year to a UK Higher Education Institution for a BA/BSc level degree programme in geography; written in English. We are looking to reward both excellent scholarship and innovation in the study of social and cultural geography. Please note that a department may not submit more than one entry to the prize. Nominated dissertations may however be submitted for consideration for other RGS-IBG prizes.

Nominations are requested from the Head of Department or Dissertation Convenor. All dissertations should be submitted as a single PDF. Please include a post-September email and contact address for the student. The winners will be announced in September.

For further queries about the SCGRG Undergraduate Dissertation Prize please contact Dr Danny McNally, or see information, including previous winning entries, on the SCGRG website: https://scgrg.co.uk/dissertation-prize.

Submissions to Dr Danny McNally (D.McNally@tees.ac.uk). 

Deadline: 12 July 2024