Events – Social and Cultural Geography Research Group

Social and Cultural Geography beyond the Academy – Opportunities in Policy and Practice Online event, Friday 28 November, 11.00-12.30 (UK time)

This discussion event explores some of the ways in which social and cultural geographers engage with policy-making, policy-makers, and practitioners in a wide range of fields, asking: What do academics do when they work on/with policy and policy-making? What have their experiences outside of academia been like? What impacts have resulted from this work?

In addition to our academic panellists, we’re delighted to be joined by non-academic geographers now in policy/practice roles who will talk about their transition from the academy into the world beyond. We’ll explore: What does research look like in those contexts? How did they find the transition? What support did they benefit from – or wish they had had?

Beyond the opportunities to learn directly from these conversations, SCGRG is working towards developing some ‘how to’ resources focused on the academia-policy-practice intersection. Look out for more on this in 2026.

To book a place for this free online discussion, please complete the Google Form here: https://forms.gle/qieys47abTFjK8jt6

Panellist Biographies

Mel Nowicki is Associate Professor in Urban and Social Geography at Oxford Brookes University, and Visiting Reader in Urban Geography at King’s College London. For the past ten years she has been researching the lived experience of insecure housing, including homelessness, temporary accommodation, tiny housing and squatting. Since 2022 she and Professor Katherine Brickell (KCL) have been collaborating with policymakers and housing stakeholders, looking to improve temporary accommodation policy in England. Their book on the subject, Debt Trap Nation: Family Homelessness in a Failing Statewas published in October 2025.

Jo Cagney currently works at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, leading the sponsorship of two Arm’s Length bodies, His Majesty’s Land Registry and the Leasehold Advisory Service. Since her Human Geography PhD she has spent over a decade in government in roles across housing policy, sponsorship, legislation, and strategic programme delivery.

Jonathan Darling is Professor of Human Geography at Durham University. His research focuses on the politics of asylum and urban migration. His book, Systems of Suffering: Dispersal and the Denial of Asylum (Pluto Press, 2022), explores the UK’s system of housing and support for asylum seekers and refugees. His work has centred on influencing public policy through providing evidence to Parliamentary committees and inquiries, working with migrants’ rights’ organisations and the Home Office, and extensive engagement with national and international media. For further details see: Professor Jonathan Darling – Durham University

Ealasaid Munro is a policy manager in the Broadcasting and Media team at Ofcom. A geographer by training, she worked in a variety of postdoc research positions in cultural policy research and film and television studies before taking up a lectureship in media and communications. Since joining Ofcom in 2019 Ealasaid worked on a variety of projects including managing Ofcom’s Channel 4 programme of work and conducting a qualitative deep dive into how the BBC serves people from working-class backgrounds. She is currently scoping Ofcom’s ‘Future of news’ research programme.

Liz Ackerley is Lead Analyst, in the Planning and Housing research team at Greater Manchester Combined Authority. She completed an ESRC-funded PhD at the University of Manchester focused on ‘Youth Activism in Times of Austerity’ and subsequently worked as a Research Associate on the ‘Austerity and Altered Lives’ project, also at the University of Manchester. She joined GMCA in March 2025.

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.

Social and Cultural Geography Research Group 50th Anniversary Celebration

Wednesday 6^th 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:

Register for the event via the RGS-IBG.
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
10.30-10.45	Welcome
10.45-11.30	*Panel 1: New Words, New Worlds* revisited** – Speakers: Jane M Jacobs, David Matless, Chris Philo (Chairs: Adam Searle, OCM & Vickie Zhang, Treasurer)
11.30-11.45	Break
11.45-12.30	Parallel 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)
12.30-13.30	Lunch
13.30-14.15	Panel 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)
14.15-14.30	Afternoon tea
14.30-15.30	World Café: The futures of social and cultural geographies – Participants: all attendees (Chair: Rebecca Collins, Chair)
15.30-15.45	Wrap-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:

50^th Anniversary Celebration

Wednesday 6^th 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 4^th 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 50^th 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.

Find out more about SCGRG

Ahead of our AGM, the Social and Cultural Geography Research Group of the Royal Geographical Society will be hosting an informal online session for anyone who would like to find out more about what being part of our research group entails and the opportunities it may offer. All are welcome, particularly postgraduates, early career researchers and researchers from under-represented groups within the discipline, who have an interest in social and cultural geography.

The session will be hosted on Zoom 1300-1400 BST on Monday 22nd August 2022. You can register for this online session using the following Eventbrite link:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/find-out-about-us-rgs-social-and-cultural-geography-research-group-tickets-392970243577

Registered attendees will be emailed a link to the Zoom meeting prior to the event.

There is no obligation to join our research group following this event. The event is simply designed as an informal opportunity to find out more about us ahead of our AGM. We know that the formal setting of an AGM can be intimidating, with people feeling they need to step forward and take on roles/tasks if attending. This informal session hopes to be the opposite of that.

Come and chat with the Chair of our research group – Tara Woodyer – about what the group has been doing in recent years, the support it offers to its members, and opportunities for getting involved, either in a formal role on the committee, or through more informal means.

As a first step, you can find out more about being part of a Royal Geographical Society Research Group here.

Please feel free to share this widely amongst your networks.

SCGRG Committee vacancies – posts still available

The 2020 AGM of the Social and Cultural Geography Research Group (SCGRG) took place online on Friday 4th September. Thank you to everyone who joined us!

We still have three committee vacancies available, which are as follows:

Dissertation Officer:

This post is a three-year term (in the first instance) and the role involves coordination of the dissertation prizes. The role involves advertising the Group’s dissertation prize through appropriate media, arranging the judging, liaising with the Treasurer and any sponsors in arranging the prize, conducting interviews with winner(s) and liaising with the website officer to display examples of winning entries from previous years. The role also involves sitting on the panel of the dissertation prize. The dissertation prize coordinator will usually be involved in SCGRG’s wider committee activities.

Postgraduate Representative:

This post is a one-year term (in the first instance) and the role involves liaising with the RGS-IBG Postgraduate Forum, engaging with postgraduate issues through our SCGRG postgraduate blog and working with our other postgraduate representative(s) on related events and activities. The PG representative would usually be involved in SCGRG’s wider committee activities, i.e. part of the judging panel for our undergraduate dissertation prize.

Conference officer:

This post is a key and important role for the group. The conference officer leads the coordination the group’s sponsorship and organisation of sessions at the RGS-IBG Annual Conference each year and other events and activities. The role involves compiling call for sessions proposals, liaising with session proposers, and organising the vote on the proposals by the committee. The conference officer would usually be involved in SCGRG’s wider committee activities i.e. part of the judging panel for our undergraduate dissertation prize.

If you have any questions about any of the above posts or about SCGRG more broadly, please email Tara and Will.

2020 Social and Cultural Geography Research Group AGM

The 2020 AGM of the Social and Cultural Geography Research Group (SCGRG) will take place online on Friday 4th Sept 1100-1300 (BST). This year’s AGM will take place virtually, all are welcome to attend. Please encourage people who are not currently involved with the group to join us.

In accordance with RGS-IBG guidelines for digital security, anyone wishing to attend this year’s virtual AGM will need to register through Eventbrite prior to the event. The Zoom link for the AGM will be shared with you once you have registered.

We have six vacancies for Committee positions as current post-holders complete their terms of office:

* Secretary: This post is a three-year term (in the first instance) and the role involves coordination of the group’s administration. Each October the secretary prepares the annual report with the Chair and the Treasurer; the secretary also prepares agenda and notices for the AGM in July/August/September, and takes minutes of this (and any other) meeting(s). The secretary may attend the RGS-IBG Research Groups Committee at the RGS, normally in October and March. The secretary will usually be involved in SCGRG’s wider committee activities i.e. part of the judging panel for our undergraduate dissertation prize.

* Dissertation Officer: This post is a three-year term (in the first instance) and the role involves coordination of the dissertation prizes. The role involves advertising the Group’s dissertation prize through appropriate media, arranging the judging, liaising with the Treasurer and any sponsors in arranging the prize, conducting interviews with winner(s) and liaising with the website officer to display examples of winning entries from previous years. The role also involves sitting on the panel of the dissertation prize. The dissertation prize coordinator will usually be involved in SCGRG’s wider committee activities.

* Early career and Mentoring Officer: This post is a three-year term (in the first instance) and the role involves leading the research group’s mentoring and early-career related activities. The early career and mentoring officer will liaise with the education officer, the RHED officer of the RGS-IBG, and other research groups where appropriate, to coordinate the development of events and resources to support members. The early career and mentoring officer would usually be involved in SCGRG’s wider committee activities i.e. part of the judging panel for our undergraduate dissertation prize.

* Ordinary Committee Member (x 1): This post is a three-year term (in the first instance). Ordinary committee members would usually be involved in the SCGRG’s wider committee activities i.e. contribution to committee meetings and AGMs, being part of the judging panel for our undergraduate dissertation prize, reviewing conference session proposals, and contribution to research grant applications, medals and awards nominations, and research group events. Ordinary committee members may also be asked to provide support for named committee roles.

* Postgraduate Representatives (x 2): This post is a one-year term (in the first instance) and the role involves liaising with the RGS-IBG Postgraduate Forum, engaging with postgraduate issues through our SCGRG postgraduate blog and working with our other postgraduate representative(s) on related events and activities. The PG representative would usually be involved in SCGRG’s wider committee activities, i.e. part of the judging panel for our undergraduate dissertation prize.

Nominations for successors (who must normally be a Fellow or Postgraduate Fellow of the RGS-IBG) are now open. Nominations must be in writing to the Chair (Dr Tara Woodyer tara.woodyer@port.ac.uk) and Secretary (Dr Richard Scriven – r.scriven@umail.ucc.ie) with the name of two nominators (these need not be Fellows of the RGS-IBG or existing committee members). The deadline for nominations is Friday 28^th August 2020. The elections will be conducted at the AGM itself, where details of nominations will be shared.

Further opportunities to be elected to a named role or as an ordinary committee member may become available during the AGM itself. We’ll also be discussing different ways that our wider membership can get involved with SCGRG.

If you have any questions about any of the above posts or about SCGRG more broadly, please email Tara and Richard.

Postgraduate Forum Twitter Conference – apply to present

The Postgraduate Forum Twitter Conference will be taking place from Tuesday 25 to Thursday 27 August.

What is the PGF Twitter Conference?

This conference is an opportunity for PhD students in geography and related disciplines to share their research with the wider geography community on Twitter.

The PGF recognise that many people will have been preparing materials for conferences that have now been postponed or cancelled, and so they decided to run this event in the absence of such conferences (for example, the RGS-IBG Annual International Conference). If you have work you’d like to share which you had planned to present at any conference, or indeed any new findings you’d like to share with the academic world, please consider applying to present!

How does it work?

Participants will be grouped into sessions with others carrying out research in a similar field. You’ll be given 15 minutes to share 5 tweets which showcase your work, and 15 minutes to respond to any comments in a ‘live’ Q&A. With just 280 characters per Tweet, you’ll need to think about creative ways of demonstrating your findings, for example by creating a short video or GIF to accompany your text. If your application is successful, you will be sent a detailed presenters’ guide to ensure you’re well prepared to share and discuss your research with as wide an audience as possible!

The deadline for submissions is Friday 24 July.

For more details, please visit the PGF website at https://rgspostgradforum.org/rgs-ibg-postgraduate-forum-twitter-conference-2020.

Call for RGS-IBG 2020 sponsored sessions

The RGS-IBG Social and Cultural Geography Research Group (SCGRG) would like to invite expressions of interest for sponsored sessions for the RGS-IBG 2020 Annual Conference, which will take place in London from Tuesday 1 to Friday 4 September 2020.

The theme for the 2020 Annual Conference, chaired by Professor Uma Kothari, is borders, borderlands and bordering.

SCGRG is keen to sponsor sessions that directly relate to the conference theme but also those sessions that engage with broader issues of contemporary concern to social and cultural geographers.

You can find out more about the theme at: https://www.rgs.org/research/annual-international-conference/chair-s-theme/

When designing your session proposals please take note of the following:

A session cannot occupy more than two timeslots on the conference programme unless this has been pre-arranged with the RGS team. Those seeking more than one timeslot should consider co-sponsorship (i.e. splitting sponsorship so as to have a sponsor for each time slot).
Each attendee can only make two substantive contributions to the conference programme (e.g. as paper presenter, panel member, discussant). A substantive contribution is defined as one where the individual concerned needs to be present in the session room, and so can include session organiser if attendance is necessary. For individuals proposing multiple co-authored papers, an alternative presenter must be clearly nominated at the time of submitting the session/paper.

You can find the RGS guidelines for session proposals at:

https://www.rgs.org/research/annual-international-conference/programme-(1)/guidance-for-session-organisers/

You are welcome to propose joint sessions to be co-sponsored by another research group.

Please send expressions of interest including the below information by Friday 3^rd January at 6pm. We will inform applicants of the outcome by 10^th January.

(i) Title of session;

(ii) Name of Co-sponsoring groups, if applicable

(iii) Name and Contact Details for Session Convenors

(iv) Abstract, outlining scope of session – 200 words max.

(v) Number of session timeslots that are sought – please note: this year a session may not occupy more than 2 time slots unless this has been pre-agreed with the RGS.

(vi) Indication of session format

Proposals for, or questions about, SCGRG sponsored sessions should be sent to Will Andrews w.andrews@bangor.ac.uk

Supporting people in academia with caring responsibilities – Views needed!

We are writing as chairs of the Gender and Feminist Geographies Research Group (GFGRG) and the Developing Areas Research Group (DARG) of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) (RGS-IBG). Currently, we are working together to improve support for those in academia with caring responsibilities.

The first strand of this work involves developing best practice guidelines for better supporting the research projects and fieldwork of those with care responsibilities. A second strand involves understanding and addressing the challenges of early career researchers taking parental or adoption leave. As part of this work, we are asking for your help in two ways. First, please could you let us know your own experiences of managing the parental/adoption leave of early career researchers and researchers funded by external/project grants, for example in terms of the impacts this has on research projects or on the intellectual work of the department? We are particularly interested to hear if the practices and policies of different funders have affected your ability to manage parental/adoption leave for staff. Second, please could you share the attached survey with your research staff (post doctoral researchers or any other contract researchers), so we can let them know about our work and ensure their input?

The survey link is here: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/H9LDG2S

More information about this work is on our websites and will be presented at the 2019 RGS-IBG Annual Conference, London (for example, at our respective AGMs). However, if you have any questions please contact Professor Rosie Cox (r.cox@bbk.ac.uk) or Dr Jessica Hope (jessica.hope@bristol.ac.uk) directly.

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