Kate Maclean

Dr. Kate Maclean is an Associate Professor at The Bartlett School of Planning, University College London, specializing in feminist geography with a regional focus on Latin America. She joined UCL in August 2022 after holding lectureships at King's College London and Birkbeck, where she served as Director of BiGS (Birkbeck Gender and Sexuality), and a Chair in Development Geography at Northumbria University. Maclean currently chairs the Gender and Feminist Geographies Research Group of the Royal Geographical Society and serves as editor for two leading academic journals: Gender, Place and Culture and Journal of Latin American Studies.

Education:

• PhD in Geography, University of York (2004-2008)
• MA in Women, Development and Administration, University of York (2003-2004)
• MA in Mental Philosophy, University of Edinburgh (1993-1997)
• Post-Graduate Certificate of Academic Practice, King's College London (2010-2011)

Maclean's research spans feminist political economy, urban governance, and economic diversity with a focus on Latin America. Her work examines how women navigate economic systems through informal markets, fashion industries, and real estate investments, challenging conventional economic frameworks by centering indigenous and gendered perspectives on value creation. She brings an interdisciplinary background spanning philosophy, politics, development, and gender studies to understanding economic diversity in Latin American contexts.

Her scholarship consistently explores how Andean concepts of 'pluri-economy' offer alternatives to Western economic paradigms, with particular attention to intersections of gender, indigeneity, and urban transformation in Bolivia. Maclean's recent publications reveal a trajectory from analyses of cryptocurrency regulation to studies of Bolivian informal markets, demonstrating how economic value is constructed differently across cultural contexts.

Research Leadership:

• Chair of Gender and Feminist Geographies Research Group (RGS)
• Co-editor, Journal of Latin American Studies (2024-present)
• Editor, Gender, Place and Culture (2023-present)

Maclean actively supervises PhD students and has designed and delivered modules across human geography, economic geography, development studies, gender studies, and urban studies. Her pedagogical approach emphasizes interactive and participatory learning, consistently receiving strong student feedback for her open, inclusive, and engaging methods. She has led teaching teams and championed inclusive pedagogies throughout her career at four UK universities with diverse student communities.