Robert M Vanderbeck

Professor Robert M Vanderbeck is a human geographer at the University of Leeds' School of Geography, specializing in social, cultural, and urban geographies. His research focuses on intergenerational justice, childhood/youth marginalization, religion and sexuality, and LGBTQ+ rights within religious institutions. He holds a PhD from the University of Sheffield and has contributed to over 100 peer-reviewed publications and authored/co-authored monographs like Climate Change, Consumption and Intergenerational Justice (2019) and Law, Religion and Homosexuality (2014).

Key research projects include the INTERSECTION project on climate change justice and the Queer Memorials study of LGBTQ+ monuments. He co-edited Intergenerational Space (2015) and Families, Intergenerationality and Peer Group Relations (2018). His work bridges geography with sociology, law, and religious studies, addressing topics like Anglican Communion debates over sexuality and urban sustainability policies in China and Uganda.

Teaching areas include qualitative methods, urban geographies of Miami, and social difference. He advises PhD students on topics intersecting race, religion, and spatial justice. His research emphasizes participatory methods, such as using art to amplify marginalized youth voices in Ugandan policymaking.