Our Research
Our research is wide-ranging and global in scope.
Overview
The ethos of CURDS research is academic excellence and policy relevance. CURDS is comprised of a diverse group of researchers who work on the theoretical, empirical and policy dimensions of urban and regional development in an international context. Our research is anchored in economic geography, but extends into the overlapping spheres of spatial analysis and modelling, demography, housing, and planning. CURDS has a long-standing interest in patterns of social and spatial inequality with a particular focus on the development of peripheral regions. Our research employs a range of methods, stretching from quantitative approaches and spatial modelling to qualitative case studies and critical policy analysis.
Engagement and impact
CURDS has engaged with policy questions and sought to deliver impact from its research. Through its work, it engages with a range of public, private and civic organisations internationally.
For the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF), two of the five impact case studies submitted for Geography were based on research carried out at CURDS. These highlighted the work of:
- Mike Coombes in setting international standards for the definition of official labour market boundaries
- Andy Pike and colleagues on tackling spatial disparities through improved subnational economic governance in the UK
People and place
The ‘life chances’ of people are shaped by where they live, but equally the fortunes of places are tied to the characteristics of their residents. These place effects are dynamically re-shaped as places become increasingly connected through economic ties as well as internal and international migration. CURDS has a long research tradition on migration and commuting between areas, the characteristics of those flows, and consequences for both origin and destination places. Research in this theme extends from the implications of population (re)distribution and local or regional population loss, through to identifying functional areas and exploring spatial exclusion from smart city technologies.
- links between social and spatial mobility
- demographic change and internal migration
- defining labour market areas
- depopulation and shrinking cities
- smart cities and spatial inequality
Evolution and transition
The research is concerned with the evolution and restructuring of urban and regional economies. A particular focus is on processes of post-industrial and energy transition. It incorporates long-standing CURDS research on innovation, finance and labour markets. This is alongside engagement with contemporary debates on evolutionary economic geography, global production networks and ‘just transition’.
This research examines the relationships between cities and regions using a variety of approaches and theoretical frameworks. It also looks at broader processes of economic restructuring such as:
- city and regional evolution, adaptation and resilience
- energy transition and path creation
- regional innovation systems and knowledge economies
- global production networks and foreign direct investment
- labour market restructuring
Governance, institutions and inclusion
Governing local, regional and urban development and policy is an enduring part of CURDS’ international research reputation. We work with institutions of the state and government as well as universities and civic and social organisations.
This research looks at how territorial development and policy are organised, managed and regulated through different geographical scales and networks. Emergent work is engaging with new ideas around more inclusive and foundational understandings of the economy. Its governance includes economic and social infrastructure and innovation and experimentation in place-based policy.
- decentralisation, financialisation and local statecraft
- civic universities and anchor institutions
- place leadership, gender and urban/regional futures
- alternative urban and regional economic frameworks
- place-based policy experimentation and inclusive innovation