Peter Jackson

Peter Jackson is Professor of Human Geography at the University of Sheffield, a position he has held since 1993. Previously, he served as Lecturer and Senior Lecturer in Geography at University College London from 1980 to 1993. His academic career spans over four decades, with significant contributions to the field of human geography, particularly focusing on food-related studies.

His educational background includes:

• BA Hons Geography, Oxford University, First Class (1976)
• Diploma in Social Anthropology, Oxford University (1977)
• DPhil in Geography, Oxford University (1980)

Professor Jackson's research primarily focuses on food security and sustainability, social and cultural geography, and geographies of consumption. His work explores the complex relationships between food, culture, and society, with particular attention to consumer behavior, food anxieties, and the cultural dimensions of food systems. He has made significant contributions to understanding how food practices are shaped by social, cultural, and economic factors, and how these practices reflect broader societal changes and concerns. His research often employs interdisciplinary approaches, combining insights from geography, anthropology, sociology, and cultural studies.

His recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on food studies, particularly examining convenience food, food anxieties, and the concept of freshness in different cultural contexts. The research shows a progression from examining broader food systems to more specific aspects of food consumption and production, with an increasing emphasis on cross-cultural comparisons and interdisciplinary methodologies.

His notable awards and honors include:

• Fellow of the British Academy (FBA) (2017)
• European Research Council, Advanced Investigator Grant (2008-2012)
• Victoria Medal of the Royal Geographical Society (2007)
• Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences (FAcSS) (2001)

Professor Jackson has secured substantial research funding throughout his career, including a £1.2m Leverhulme Trust grant for the 'Changing Families, Changing Food' program and a £1.3m European Research Council Advanced Investigator Grant for research on 'Consumer culture in an age of anxiety'. He has held leadership positions including Director of Research for the Social Sciences at the University of Sheffield (2004-2007) and Director of Sheffield Sustainable Food Futures (2016). Currently, he serves as Co-Director of the University Research Institute for Sustainable Food (since 2019).

He directs the Sheffield Sustainable Food Futures (SheFF) initiative and leads the consumer research strand of the N8 agri-food program. His work has significant policy implications, as evidenced by his service on the Food Standards Agency's Social Science Research Committee (2008-2017, Chair 2011-2017) and his membership in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' Social Science Expert Group (since 2017).