Geographical

Official magazine of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)

Doug Specht

Dr. Doug Specht is a Chartered Geographer, a Reader in Cultural Geography and Communication, and Head of the School of Media and Communication at the University of Westminster.

His research explores themes related to environmental justice, human rights, and access to education, with a focus on the production and codification of knowledge though cartographic artefacts and in educational settings.

Dr. Specht has authored numerous articles and books, including Mapping Crisis, the Routledge Handbook of Geospatial Technology and Society, and Imagining Apocalyptic Politics in the Anthropocene. He writes regularly on ethics, environmental and human rights, education, and mapping practices in such publications as WonkHE, The Conversation, Geographical, and for Times Higher Education. Dr Specht is a member of the editorial board of the European Journal of Geography and is Chair of the Environmental Network for Central America.

How Britain’s student visa crackdown could limit opportunities at home

5 minutes

Falling international recruitment could leave some universities with fewer courses, limiting opportunities for UK students who cannot simply study elsewhere The number of international students in the UK is falling fast. Tougher immigration and tighter regulatory frameworks are making both prospective students and university leaders question how viable this route now … [Read more...] about How Britain’s student visa crackdown could limit opportunities at home

The world between borders

4 minutes

At the UN General Assembly, governments speak for individual nations. Who takes responsibility for the relationships that connect them? At the United Nations General Assembly, the world takes the form of a succession of national statements. Governments explain what threatens their security, what their economies require and what they expect from others. The … [Read more...] about The world between borders

Who owns the AI alarm?

4 minutes

How warnings over AI became a market-moving battle between tech bosses, investors and politicians On the afternoon of Monday 14 September, at a technology conference called the All-In Summit, Nvidia's chief executive Jensen Huang took a phone call and put it on speaker for the room. It was Donald Trump. For five minutes the president told an audience of … [Read more...] about Who owns the AI alarm?

Why falling Channel crossings are fuelling bigger protests

4 minutes

Small boat arrivals to the UK are down 43 per cent and at their lowest since 2020. Yet hundreds have blockaded two ports in protest against arrivals At Eastney, on the eastern edge of Portsmouth, around 140 people had come ashore on a Sunday evening after crossing some 80 miles from the Baie de la Seine. By the time they were due to be driven to the processing centre … [Read more...] about Why falling Channel crossings are fuelling bigger protests

The unseen geography of Ukraine’s reconstruction

5 minutes

As Ukraine rebuilds amid continuing Russian attacks, communities such as Makariv are fighting to ensure their needs aren’t overlooked Late on 28 August, a Russian jet-powered drone came down on an ammunition store in the village of Myla, twenty kilometres west of Kyiv. What followed was not one explosion but a night of them, as shells, mines and drone components … [Read more...] about The unseen geography of Ukraine’s reconstruction