Dr Ruth Craggs
Reader in Political and Historical Geography
Research interests
- Geography
Biography
Dr Ruth Craggs joined the Department of Geography as Lecturer in Human Geography in July 2013, following previous appointments at the University of Hull and St Mary's University College.
Her research falls at the intersections of critical historical, political and development geographies with a focus on North-South relations. In her work, she has developed new directions in the interdisciplinary study of decolonisation in and beyond geography.
She is a convener of the London Group of Historical Geographers Seminar (one of the longest-running series at the Institute of Historical Research).
Research
- Postcolonial geopolitics
- Decolonisation and the ‘modern’ Commonwealth
- Histories of geography and decolonisation
- Modern architecture and urban planning
- Oral history methodologies
Teaching
Undergraduate
- 4SSG1008 Geography Tutorials: Critical Thinking and Techniques
- 5SSG2047 Fieldwork in Human and Development Geography – field trip to India
- 5SSG2017 Historical Geographies of Urbanism
- 6SSG3076 Geopolitics: Power and Place
Postgraduate
- 7SSG5002 Practising Social Research
- 7SSG5108 Tourism and Development
- 7SSG5178 Tourism, Conservation and the Environment
PhD supervision
Ruth is interested in supervising postgraduate research at doctoral level and for MA/ MPhil degrees and pleased to discuss research topics and funding avenues with prospective students.
She is especially interested in the following areas (interpreted broadly):
- Geographies of empire and decolonisation
- Disciplinary histories
- Histories of development, architecture and urban planning
- Post-colonial geopolitics
- Race, migration and multiculturalism in Britain or Africa
Principal supervisor
Secondary supervisor
Further details
Research
Contested Development research group
Exploring environmental, political and social questions in relation to contested and uneven processes of development.
Status not set
Urban Futures research group
Examining urban futures through a conceptual, analytical and methodological lens that questions what cities are and how they work.
Status not set
King's Contemporary British History
The study of Contemporary British History goes back to the 1960s, and was consolidated with the establishment of the Institute of Contemporary British History in 1985 by (Sir) Anthony Seldon and (Lord) Peter Hennessy. The Institute moved to King’s College London in 2010, and the new King’s Contemporary British History builds on this by creating a larger and more diverse enterprise, building on that distinguished tradition.
Status not set
Training Diplomats of Postcolonial African States 1957-1997
Analysing the spatial dynamics of transnational diplomatic training to understand postcolonial state-building in Francophone and Anglophone Africa.
Project status: Ongoing
Empires and Decolonizations Research Hub
Empires have been a common part of the lived experience of people around the globe through millennia. Understanding the history of these empires is more important than ever as societies grapple with imperial legacies and decolonizing processes. These different empires had their own temporalities, modalities, dynamics and contexts, but comparative study facilitates understanding and can prompt new and fruitful lines of enquiry. King’s College London has exceptional scholarly expertise in empires, whether ancient or modern. This hub brings these scholars together to facilitate such conversations and to serve as a resource for our community and beyond.
Status not setNews
Dr Ruth Craggs awarded Leverhulme Trust Research Grant for new research into diplomatic training
The study will examine diplomatic training as a function of postcolonial state-building in Africa, with a particular focus on Anglophone and Francophone Africa.
Geography launches its new MA in Geopolitics, Resources and Territory
The King’s Geography Department is proud to launch the new Geopolitics, Resources and Territory masters programme.
Geography graduate Naimah Quamie awarded 4th place in RACE dissertation competition
Kings Geography BA graduate, Naimah Quamie, wins joint fourth place in dissertation competition.
Research
Contested Development research group
Exploring environmental, political and social questions in relation to contested and uneven processes of development.
Status not setUrban Futures research group
Examining urban futures through a conceptual, analytical and methodological lens that questions what cities are and how they work.
Status not setKing's Contemporary British History
The study of Contemporary British History goes back to the 1960s, and was consolidated with the establishment of the Institute of Contemporary British History in 1985 by (Sir) Anthony Seldon and (Lord) Peter Hennessy. The Institute moved to King’s College London in 2010, and the new King’s Contemporary British History builds on this by creating a larger and more diverse enterprise, building on that distinguished tradition.
Status not setTraining Diplomats of Postcolonial African States 1957-1997
Analysing the spatial dynamics of transnational diplomatic training to understand postcolonial state-building in Francophone and Anglophone Africa.
Project status: Ongoing
Empires and Decolonizations Research Hub
Empires have been a common part of the lived experience of people around the globe through millennia. Understanding the history of these empires is more important than ever as societies grapple with imperial legacies and decolonizing processes. These different empires had their own temporalities, modalities, dynamics and contexts, but comparative study facilitates understanding and can prompt new and fruitful lines of enquiry. King’s College London has exceptional scholarly expertise in empires, whether ancient or modern. This hub brings these scholars together to facilitate such conversations and to serve as a resource for our community and beyond.
Status not setNews
Dr Ruth Craggs awarded Leverhulme Trust Research Grant for new research into diplomatic training
The study will examine diplomatic training as a function of postcolonial state-building in Africa, with a particular focus on Anglophone and Francophone Africa.
Geography launches its new MA in Geopolitics, Resources and Territory
The King’s Geography Department is proud to launch the new Geopolitics, Resources and Territory masters programme.
Geography graduate Naimah Quamie awarded 4th place in RACE dissertation competition
Kings Geography BA graduate, Naimah Quamie, wins joint fourth place in dissertation competition.