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Steve Musson

Photograph of Steve Musson

Head of School for Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science 

Areas of interest

Steve is an economic geographer. His research has an empirical focus, using wide-ranging data sources from large government datasets and financial information to qualitative case studies.

Current projects include:

  • local government austerity in the United Kingdom
  • the local politics of infrastructure investment
  • the relationship between the University of Reading and its local community
  • urban renewal and town centre regeneration.

Steve often comments on these subjects and has wide experience of local and national radio, television, online and print media. For further details, please see Steve's personal web page or contact: pressoffice@reading.ac.uk.

Postgraduate supervision

Steve is interested in hearing from potential postgraduate research students, especially those with an interest in the economic geographies of the United Kingdom and other current research projects.

Current and recently completed postgraduate students include:

  • Evans (2010–2015): Competition Wars: The fight for space and the construction of barriers throughout the London Transport network (co-supervised with Sally Lloyd Evans)
  • Lynn (2011–2015): 'Building Resilient Communities - The Role of Community Planning' (co-supervised with Gavin Parker, Planning, ESRC Studentship)
  • Mcmanners (2012–2015): An investigation into the Interface between Globalisation and Sustainability (with Emily Boyd, Reading Social Science Scholarship)
  • Tucker (2009–2013): 'The Spatial Imagination of New Labour's Treasury, 1997-2010' (Reading International Studentship)
  • Zischka (2012–2016): Giving and Social Cohesion (with Marina Della Guista, Economics, Reading Social Science Scholarship)
 

Teaching

Steve is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and Director of Teaching and Learning in the School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science. Steve won the University of Reading Award for Outstanding Contribution to Teaching and Learning Support Team Award in 2007 and 2013 and the Individual Award in 2006.

Current teaching includes:

  • Geographies of Boom and Bust (Part 1)
  • Neighbourhood Regeneration and Renewal (Part 3)
  • Undergraduate dissertation supervision on urban and economic geography

Research centres and groups

Human Geography Research Cluster

Background

Steve has worked at the University of Reading since 2005. His previous research has focused on devolution and regional governance in England and the economic geographies of the public sector, especially local government. Steve is Secretary of the Economic Geography Research Group of the Royal Geographical Society (2011–2014).

Publications