Luke Dickens

Dr Luke Dickens is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Geography at King's College London, affiliated with the School of Global Affairs and the Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy. His research focuses on urban cultural geographies, particularly the cultural politics of urban change, youth cultures, and participatory methodologies. He holds a PhD from Royal Holloway, University of London (2009), and previously taught at the University of Oxford and the Open University. His current work explores child-centric urbanism through the lens of a British Academy/Leverhulme-funded project on 'The Fun Palace and the Future City'.

Teaching responsibilities include courses on urban geography, historical geographies, and research methods. He supervises PhD students in urban futures and collaborates with policy/practitioner networks. Recent publications address post-pandemic urban recovery, affordable creative spaces, and digital civic cultures. He leads the Urban Futures research domain, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to urban challenges.

Key research themes include urban childhoods, cultural infrastructure, and participatory research ethics. He has contributed to projects funded by AHRC, ESRC, and EPSRC, and maintains active collaborations with organizations like the National Foundation for Youth Music. His work bridges academic scholarship with public engagement, reflecting a commitment to community-driven urban inquiry.