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Local Governance Research Centre postgraduate and research study options

The Local Governance Research Centre offers doctoral students a dynamic and stimulating research environment in which to study. The centre is an internationally recognised academic centre of expertise for theoretically-informed, robust and policy-relevant research into British and comparative local governance. 

Our doctoral students work with and alongside researchers at the cutting edge of dialogue on politics and policies of the new municipalism. Members of the LGRC investigate developments in local political institutions; the stewardship of place and social value; health, housing and wellbeing; local democracy and community empowerment; and innovation in local service delivery and institutional design.

Importantly, we offer doctoral students the opportunity to engage with, and add to, our deeply rooted ethos of engaged research, which links academic inquiry to the needs and demands of local institutions and local communities. It also advances novel methodologies of co-production and user engagement. The centre has established partnerships with government institutions, practitioner organisations and think tanks in the UK and abroad, with a growing international research agenda,  based upon ongoing collaborations and projects across Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean.

The LGRC welcomes applications from doctoral students with any interest in the field of British and comparative local governance. We are particularly interested in receiving applications on municipal entrepreneurship and community wealth building; voice and accountability; place stewardship, housing and health; state rescaling and localism; political leadership and practices of collaboration.


 If you would like to discuss the possibility of studying for a PhD with the LGRC, please email our Hear of Research Students, Dr Mark Roberts (m.roberts@dmu.ac.uk)