What did you study at A-level and why did you select those subjects?
English literature, because I loved it, Media Studies because I wanted to learn more about film and radio, and Psychology because it sounded interesting (it was).
What degrees and PhD did you study?
- Broadcasting with Sociology – University of Leeds (1997)
- MRes Social and Cultural Geography – Manchester Metropolitan University (Part-time, 2013)
- PhD Urban Studies and Planning – University of Sheffield (2018)
What inspired you to choose and study your degree subject?
I was the first person in my family to go to University, and didn’t really understand much about it. I really loved film making and radio making during my A-levels, and I knew I would be going into debt, so I felt I should do something practical, and so I chose Broadcasting. I was, and still am, passionate about crafting stories and developing creative skills. I also really wanted to live in a city, and there were only a few places that offered courses with a practical element. I looked in the NME and checked gig listings, I knew about The Duchess of York, some cool bands and zines, and so I chose to go to Leeds.
Years later, two things happened. I became increasingly angry about issues of inequality and gentrification. I wanted to better understand the issues and be able to gather robust evidence to support change. I was acutely aware of the spatial dimension, because I lived and worked in communities impacted. I observed some very unethical and dubious research about us and wanted to do better. I also became fascinated with psychogeography and walking art. I wanted to deepen my knowledge and expand the literature because too often it didn’t reflect the amazing diversity and creativity I knew was happening. My PhD was motivated mostly by passion for my subject, but also a fair bit of anger and frustrations.
What key skills did you learn at university?
There were some difficult times during my undergraduate years, and I struggled in lots of ways. My negative experiences definitely inspire me in my pedagogical practice now – I know what not to do! Sexism and misogyny were rife, much of it presented as being cool and ironic. I learnt about the importance of critical thinking and building an argument, and the need to speak truth to power and trust your gut (I did not always do those things at the time).
I was introduced to crip theory, which was pivotal for me as a disabled person, and learnt about direct action and social movements. Perhaps more importantly, I learnt to cherish my friends and build a community. And to always dye my own hair. I did not anticipate ever going back into HE, and those negative experiences definitely motivated me to do better and ensure my own students always feel supported and valued. During my PhD, I learnt a lot about effective research and developed my subject skills. I loved almost every moment of it and relished being part of a university the second time around.
What jobs have you had during your career?
Lots! I feel a bit uncomfortable calling it a career because it's changed direction a few times. I had a lot of different jobs in my 20s, and working for The Body Shop helped fund my undergraduate degree.
Then, after realising I hated the TV industry I started working in voluntary sector infrastructure in Greater Manchester. I was a community development worker for around 15 years and it was great. The work was very varied and there was a real sense of purpose, supporting a huge range of community organisations that were all doing good things. I was also involved in various campaigns and groups myself.
In 2006, I founded a psychogeographical collective called The LRM (Loiterers Resistance Movement), and every month, we facilitate free communal public walks in Manchester. That work has always been unpaid, and based on mutual aid, because The LRM emerged from an Anarchist social centre and the need for non-commercial, critically engaged spaces in the city. I have since developed my own creative practice, and have a parallel life as a performance artist, consultant and tour guide. My role at Liverpool is 0.8 (4 days a week) so I can maintain those other interests.
What is your current job and what do you enjoy about it?
I’m a Senior Lecturer in Human Geography. It’s a cliché, but what I love most is the variety of work and the people I work with – colleagues and students. Teaching is one of my favourite parts of my job, and it's another cliché, but I learn so much from my students.
I also act as co-chair for my school's DEIC (Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Committee), which can be rewarding as we can help ensure EDI is embedded in all we do. We have recently achieved Athena Swan Gold, and part of that process involved developing an action plan we will now implement.
In terms of research, I am constantly curious about the world, and I love that asking questions is a key part of my role. Developing collaborative and impactful research projects is hugely rewarding. Most recently, I’ve been pulling lots of strands of my work together in my new book The Feminist Art of Walking.
I have also been really lucky to be part of the team on two projects (so far) that I am really proud of:
- Walking Publics / Walking Arts: Understanding Walking, Creativity and Community during Covid-19 was led by Prof Dee Heddon at the University of Glasgow. We explored the benefits of creative walking and how the pandemic changed walking. We used a range of methods – public surveys, interviews, commissioning artists to develop practice as research. One of the outputs was The WalkBook: Recipes for Walking and Wellbeing, and its great using it with different folk. You can download it here. We are still working together on publications and other outputs.
- Working with Prof Bethan Evans on projects exploring Challenging Disbelief & Disregard in the lives of people with Energy Limiting Conditions. Read more about it from Bethan here.
I’m also committed to supporting ECRs and PGRs to develop walking methods, for example, I co-facilitated a workshop at this year's RGS-IGB conference with colleagues from Cardiff and Birmingham Universities, and I love seeing how these methods are evolving in new directions.
Do you have an area of expertise?
My work is interdisciplinary, and I use a range of qualitative and creative methods. I take an intersectional Feminist approach and utilise crip and queer theories. Broadly, my main areas of expertise are:
- Walking as a creative, cultural and political act
- Psychogeography
- The importance of equity and access to public spaces
- Regeneration, gentrification and it's impact in Greater Manchester
What has been your most exciting project or career role?
I am usually most excited about what happens next. For me, that’s the publication of my first book, The Feminist Art of Walking. It brings together my different roles, as an artist, activist and academic and also celebrates some incredible women whose work has not been sufficiently recognised. They transform walking into inspiring acts of creativity and resistance.
The projects I mentioned above are among my other highlights. I also really loved curating “Loitering With Intent: The Art and Politics of Walking.” This exhibition, and a programme of events, was held at The People's History Museum. It included work from a range of local and international artists alongside walks, talks and other activities to celebrate ten years of The LRM. We will be twenty next year, so maybe it’s time to start planning something else…
What are your top tips for working in your sector?
This might sound a bit contradictory, but the first one is to just do it. Read as much as you can about what you love, go to events, workshops, exhibitions etc and develop a writing habit and/or creative practice. This is for you first and foremost, to develop your passion and expertise. Seize any opportunities that look interesting.
The second is to have boundaries, and remember there is always something more important than work. This can be hard for artists and academics alike because our job is often linked to our passions and our identity. Make sure you have something to do, or somewhere to go, that is apart from all that. You have to look after yourself. This also helps when you get the inevitable rejections or harsh criticisms. They can be hard to take, but please persist. We all need to normalise and be open about failures – I’ve collected plenty of rejection emails, and they hurt, but I try not to dwell on them.
The third, and probably most important, is to be part of a community. I hate the word networking as it sounds really self serving, but the myth of a lone genius is just that. Find people and organisations that share your interests and contribute to their development. These can be online or in person, for example, for me finding WAN (The Walking Artists Network) was pivotal. In Liverpool, I’m part of the PSCC (Power, Space and Cultural Change) research cluster.
What is the best piece of advice you have been given?
Remember to take breaks and look after yourself. Do the things you love when and where you can. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else, especially important if you spend time on social media. And always, always, always back up your data.
Any advice you’d like to share?
Follow your gut instinct; learn to listen to and trust your spidey sense. Always ask questions or give critiques kindly. Maybe most importantly, reach out to others, even if you need to act braver than you feel to do so. Most academics are really happy to discuss and share their work, I know I am, and I love hearing from colleagues, students and anyone who shares my interests.
Why are you passionate about STEM?
Public space matters, it plays a vital role in society, and I strongly believe that streets should belong to everyone. We should all be able to access and enjoy (or simply pass safely through) the places we live, work and visit. We’ve got a long way to go to make that a reality. But it feels more important than ever to me. It will take a collective effort, change is needed on many levels, and I want to play a part in that process. And everywhere is interesting
One of the things I love most about psychogeography, and walking in general, is that it opens you up to serendipitous encounters, and you never quite know what you will find. That is always exciting to me. I am passionate about the possibilities of making new connections between people and places, and creating more inclusive and accessible public spaces.
More resources:
Article - ‘The city is not for us’: Ethics, everyday sexism, and negotiating unwanted encounters during fieldwork
Article - From an aviatrix to a eugenicist: walking with Manchester’s Modernist Heroines
WalkCreate - Walking Publics / Walking Art: Walking, Wellbeing and Community During Covid-19
BBC Sounds programme - Women Who Walk
The LRM (Loiterers Resistance Movement)
Book - The Feminist Art of Walking by Morag Rose
University of Liverpool staff profile
Morag's Instagram profile
Morag's Bluesky profile