Centre for Rural Economy

Staff Profile

Professor Rachel Woodward

Professor of Human Geography

Background




Qualifications

BA (Hons) in Geography with Archaeology, University of Exeter

PhD in Geography, Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London

Previous Positions

  • Reader in Geography, School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, Newcastle University, 2005-2011
  • Senior Lecturer, School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Newcastle University 2004-05
  • Lecturer, School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Newcastle University, 2001-2004
  • Research Fellow, Centre for Rural Economy, Newcastle University, 1996-2000
  • Research Associate, Dept of Geography, Newcastle University, 1994-1995
  • Research Associate, Centre for the Study of Public Order, Leicester University, 1992-1993
  • Research Assistant, Dept of Geography, Saint David's University College, University of Wales Lampeter, 1990-1992



Journal editing:

Co-editor of Journal of War and Cultures Studies (https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/ywac20/current)


Editorial Boards:

Critical Military Studies




Google Scholar

SCOPUS

Research

Research Interests

Military geographies, including military land use, military landscapes and post-military landscapes, military environmentalism, militarism and space/place, base conversion issues.

Military us of space for ballistic missile early warning and space situational awareness


Gender and identity, including military identities and gender and the armed forces


Military representation in photography and print media, and contemporary military memoirs.

Reserve armed forces, and University Armed Service Units


Current Work

Militarism and popular culture.

Representations of the military. 

The politics of civil-military relationships.

Military and post-military landscapes. 

Space observation and monitoring



Funding

AHRC Turning Fylingdales Inside Out: making practice visible at the UK's ballistic missile early warning and space monitoring station. With Dr Michael Mulvihill, Ms Chloe Barker and Dr K. Neil Jenkings. 2020-23.

Leverhulme Artist in Residence award with Paula Turner, 2017, see https://www.paulaturner.org/leverhulme/

ESRC Keeping enough in Reserve: the employment of hybrid citizen-soldiers and the Future Reserves 2020 programme. With Dr Neil Jenkings (Newcastle), Prof Tim Edmunds, Dr Paul Higate, Dr John Hockey (all University of Bristol). 2014-18

Leverhulme Artist-in Residence award with Michael Mulvihill, 2014-15. http://vane.org.uk/artists/michael-mulvihill

British Academy / Leverhulme Small Grant, Gender and the British Armed Forces: Lessons from Afghanistan.  Dr Claire Duncanson (PI) University of Edinburgh. 2013-15. 

AHRC Caring for post-military futures: alternative development futures for former military sites in the UK. (2013)

Development Studies Association The Military as New Development Actors. With Uma Kothari (PI, Manchester), Matt Baillie Smith (Northumbria), Nina Laurie (Newcastle). See: http://research.ncl.ac.uk/military-research/themes/development.html 

ESRC The value of the university armed service units. With Dr Alison Williams (PI) and Dr Neil Jenkings (2013-15). See: https://www.ubiquitypress.com/site/books/10.5334/baq/ 

ESRC The social production of the contemporary British military memoir. Project with Dr Neil Jenkings (2009-2011). See: https://www.palgrave.com/br/book/9781137570093

ESRC Negotiating identity and representation in the mediated Armed Forces. With Dr Trish Winter (University of Sunderland) and Dr Neil Jenkings (Newcastle University). See:

ESRC (2001) Gendered bodies, personnel policies and the culture of the British Army. With Dr Trish Winter, University of Sunderland. 

Nuffield Foundation (1998) Rural development and military base conversion.

Teaching

GEO1018 Geographical Analysis (S2, 2023-24)

GEO2111 Doing Human Geography Research (S1, 2023-24)

GEO3099 Dissertations


Publications