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)