Michael Howcroft

Michael Howcroft is a UKRI Future Leaders Fellow at the University of Glasgow's Division of Urban Studies and Social Policy, leading the 'Civic Imaginary Partnerships' project. His research focuses on civic pride, emotional geographies, and community-led urban planning. He holds a PhD in Human Geography from the University of Hull (2021) and previously worked as an actor/director before transitioning to academia.

Key roles include Research Associate with the AHRC Place Programme (2023-2024), ESRC Post-Doctoral Fellow at Southampton University (2022-2023), and contributions to projects like the 'Feeling Towns' initiative. He co-created the animated film 'How Proud?' exploring place pride through creative ethnography.

• Research Interests: Civic Imaginary Theory, Cultural Mega-Events, Radical Planning Practices, Queer Urban Spaces
• Grants: £2.3M UKRI Fellowship (2024-2028), ESRC Fellowship (2022-2023)
• Professional Activities: Visiting Researcher at University of Bologna, Member of UK Community Ownership Fund evaluation committee

His work bridges academic theory with community practice, emphasizing participatory methods. Recent publications address Eurovision's soft power potential, 'Levelling Up' policy tensions, and LGBTQ+ place-making post-Brexit.

Awards and recognition include multiple international conference presentations (RSA, AAG, RSA) and collaborative projects with creative practitioners, policymakers, and communities.