Postgraduate Supervision

Please contact me if you are interested in reading for a higher research degree – PhD; MPhil; MSc by Research in Urban Studies; MSc by Research in Social Theory and Space – under my supervision. I welcome all applications; but in particular those that engage with any area of Urban Studies, Baudrillard Studies, Poststructuralism, Assemblage Theory, or Actor-Network Theory. Applications involving a critical engagement with extant literatures on global cities, world cities, so-called ‘ordinary’ cities, and urban networks (whether they by economic, cultural, technological, political, environmental, social, etc.) are also desirable. In a nutshell, I am happy to supervise your study for any higher research degree. I will be most effective as your supervisor if your thesis concerns social theory of a poststructuralist flavour; and/or your thesis concerns a theoretically informed examination of any topic, issue, or problem within the many literatures that constitute the field of Urban Studies.

I have extensive international knowledge and experience – having visited more than 100 countries worldwide; and presented my research at more than 50 international conferences, universities, and public events – and welcome applications from UK, EU, and International students who aim to undertake research on any of the world’s cities.

How to Apply/Funding Sources

* Contact me: r.g.smith@swan.ac.uk

Once you have contacted me with an expression of interest we can discuss your application and idea for developing a research project proposal. Furthermore, I can email you information regarding how to apply for a place at Swansea; and, provide advice about relevant funding sources available to you whether you are a UK, EU, or International student. Please note that for postgraduate study at Swansea you must apply for a place at Swansea University AND – if not self-funding/already secured other funding – THEN apply for funding.

PhD Students

A PhD is a postgraduate research degree, usually lasting three or four years, if undertaken full time. It involves independently conducting original and significant research in a specific field and is normally assessed by a written thesis and oral examination.

My current PhD students in Urban Studies:

Aziz Alqasem (Lead supervisor) “NEOM – A new smart city”, PhD (Government sponsored funding, 2022-2025), (Current)

Ahmet Uzel (Lead supervisor) “Smart city system applications and the role of governance in the rural development process”, PhD (Government sponsored funding, 2021-2024), (Current)

Completed Urban Studies PhD students:

Dr Abdulaziz Alrashidi (Second Supervisor) “An Investigation of Quality of Urban Life (QoUL), A Case Study of Quba Municipality, Medina City, Saudi Arabia.”, PhD (Government sponsored funding, 2016-21, Awarded January 2022)

Dr Oliver Mould (Lead Supervisor) “Sydney: brought to you by world city cultural industry actor-networks”. Now FT Lecturer in Human Geography, Royal Holloway, University of London (ESRC Funded, Awarded 2005) PhD PDF here

External Supervisions

Kyle Rath (External Second Supervisor) Department of Visual Arts, University of Pretoria for his PhD about the philosophy of information design: “Complex characters: a dialectical approach to understanding typography in the context of Barthesian and Baudrillardian philosophy”, PhD (2020-2023), (Current)