Accountable geographies
We embrace socially responsible research that addresses critical questions about human agency, social justice, cultural meaning and environmental values.
While we work in diverse settings around the world, using distinctive quantitative and qualitative methodologies - our work shares a common purpose:
We must be accountable for the geographies we produce and to the communities we collaborate with while also working to explain and improve inequality and injustice - holding others to account when and where they persist.
Did you know?
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Want to know more?
We've provided some useful links for you. To see the information, simply click on each heading below:
As one of the world's leading universities, we play a vital role in tackling numerous complex global challenges.
On this website, you can find out how we are engaging with, and influencing the world for the better:
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Transforming personal data Our research into experimental data is helping decision-making for national and international policies. In addition, our work provided vital information for the Scottish Government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. |
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Alcohol and tobacco harm We have achieved significant nation-wide impact in alcohol and tobacco policy, motivated by addressing harmful effects on health and underlying socio-economic inequalities. |
Alcohol and tobacco harm |
We are involved with numerous projects, partnerships and external collaborations that range from local to international impact.
Here are some examples of our involvement.
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The Centre for Research on Environment Society and Health (CRESH) Professors Niamh Shortt and Jamie Pearce are co-directors of CRESH, which is focused on exploring how physical and social environments can influence population health, for better and for worse. The Centre’s aim is to contribute to a healthier population and environment through policy-related research that explores connections between the two. |
CRESH website |
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Ixchel project We lead the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) Ixchel project. It aims to understand the physical, cultural and socio-economic drivers of risk for strengthening resilience in the Guatemalan cordillera. Located close to active volcanoes, the region has an extraordinarily high level of hazard exposure that intersects with and is exacerbated by existing forms of socio-economic vulnerability. It will involve a close collaboration between physical scientists, social scientists, humanities scholars and Guatemalan community leaders in communities exposed to multiple forms of risk. |
Ixchel project information |
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SPECTRUM Consortium A multi-university, multi-agency research consortium focused on the commercial determinants of health and health inequalities. Professor Jamie Pearce (Co-investigator) and Professor Niamh Shortt work on ‘Shaping public health polices to reduce inequalities and harm’, where they will examine the intended and unintended impacts of (and interventions in) the local commercial environment on the consumption of unhealthy commodities. |
SPECTRUM Consortium website |
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Scottish Centre for Administrative Data Research (SCADR) Professor Chris Dibben is the Director of SCADR, which analyses data from across the public sector. SCADR is in partnership with Administrative Data Research Scotland (ADR Scotland), alongside the Scottish Government. Together, they are transforming how public sector data in Scotland is curated, accessed and explored, so it can deliver its full potential for policymakers and for the public, for the benefit of all. |
SCADR website |
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The Scottish Graduate School of Social Science (SGSSS ) Professor Jamie Pearce is the Director of the ESRC Scottish Graduate School of Social Science-Doctoral Training Partnership. It is the UK's largest facilitator of funding, training and support for doctoral students in social science. A national collaboration, it draws on the expertise of all 16 Scottish universities to bring together the best social science ideas, skills and initiatives from across the country. |
SGSSS website |
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Sustainable Rural and Agricultural Development (SRAD) Dr Marisa Wilson is a steering member of the Sustainable Rural and Agricultural Development (SRAD) Research Cluster at the University of the West Indies, Mona. SRAD is an international group of scholars that aims to create healthy, sustainable and socially just food systems and societies, particularly in the Caribbean. |
SRAD website |
It is our firm belief that we cannot understand disasters and environmental risk without intersectional analyses of capitalism, coloniality and gender inequality. We are very happy that UKRI had the courage to fund not only an interdisciplinary project, but also an inter-epistemic one that puts Indigenous and scientific knowledges on an equal footing.”
Learn more about our ground-breaking work, our passions and discoveries.
Research groups
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Cultural and historical geography A diverse and growing community of cultural and historical geographers exploring how people, practices, and places relate. |
Visit the research group |
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Geographies of social justice A community of human geographers engaged in politically committed and theoretically informed scholarship aimed at progressive and radical political transformation and the pursuit of social justice and human dignity. |
Visit the research group |
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Population, health and place A community of researchers that examines the connections between the environment, health and well-being, with a particular interest in health inequalities. |
Visit the research group |
Our researchers
You can search for our researchers by research theme, institute or research group.
The COVID-19 pandemic has required information and analysis at unprecedented speeds. For some emerging questions there has been no existing source of information. SCADR, using its deep understanding of existing administrative data systems, has worked with colleagues across many organisations to identify novel ways of identifying key indicators and societal structures to help address these questions.