Professor Gillian Bristow

Head of the School of Geography and Planning

: BristowG1@cardiff.ac.uk
: +44 29208 75388
: Glamorgan Building, Room Room 2.69, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3WA

: Media commentator
: Available for postgraduate supervision

I am a Professor in Economic Geography and Head of the School of Geography and Planning. My research focuses on regional economies and how they develop and change. I have always been fascinated by why some regions struggle to prosper and have tried to find different ways to understand and explain this. More recently, I have studied how regions develop resilience to major shocks like the 2008 global financial crisis, and through this have developed an interest in the more complex systems within which regional economies operate and evolve.

I am an engaged researcher and work closely with partners in the Cardiff Capital Region and in Wales in support of economic development. I am a member of the UK2070 Commission which is advocating for greater spatial justice in the UK, and I am a member of the Wales Productivity Forum. I also sit on the Evidence Advisory Committee for Natural Resources Wales.

Date
Type

2024

Norris, L., Bristow, G., Cotterill, E., Healy, A. and Marshall, A. 2024. Decarbonisation, place attachment and agency: just transition in old industrial regions. Contemporary Social Science (10.1080/21582041.2024.2323106)

2020

Healy, A. et al. 2020. Domestic groundwater sbstraction in Lagos, Nigeria: A disjuncture in the science-policy-practice interface?. Environmental Research Letters 15(4), article number: 45006. (10.1088/1748-9326/ab7463)
Soroka, A., Bristow, G., Naim, M. and Purvis, L. 2020. Measuring regional business resilience. Regional Studies 54(6), pp. 838-850. (10.1080/00343404.2019.1652893)

2019

Healy, A. and Bristow, G. 2019. Borderlines: Economic resilience on the European Union’s eastern periphery. In: Rouet, G. and Pascariu, G. C. eds. Resilience and the EU's Eastern Neighbourhood Countries: From Theoretical Concepts to a Normative Agenda. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 349-368., (10.1007/978-3-030-25606-7_12)
Prokop, D., Huggins, R. and Bristow, G. 2019. The survival of academic spinoff companies: An empircal study of key determinants. International Small Business Journal 37(5), pp. 502-535. (10.1177/0266242619833540)
Waite, D. and Bristow, G. 2019. Spaces of city-regionalism: conceptualising pluralism in policymaking. Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space 37(4), pp. 689-706. (10.1177/2399654418791824)

2018

Bristow, G. 2018. Reflections on the Welsh economy: remanence, resilience and resourcefulness. Welsh Economic Review 26, pp. 13-20. (10.18573/wer.229)
Webber, D. J., Healy, A. and Bristow, G. 2018. Regional growth paths and resilience: A European analysis. Economic Geography 94(4), pp. 355-375. (10.1080/00130095.2017.1419057)
Bristow, G. and Healy, A. eds. 2018. Economic crisis and the resilience of regions: A European study. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
Bristow, G. and Healy, A. 2018. Innovation and regional economic resilience: an exploratory analysis. Annals of Regional Science 60, pp. 265-284. (10.1007/s00168-017-0841-6)
Healy, A. et al. 2018. Resilience in groundwater supply systems: integrating resource based approaches with agency, behaviour and choice. Cardiff: Cardiff University. Available at: http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/519947/

2017

Kythreotis, A. P. and Bristow, G. I. 2017. The 'resilience trap': exploring the practical utility of resilience for climate change adaptation in UK city-regions. Regional Studies 51(10), pp. 1530-1541. (10.1080/00343404.2016.1200719)

2016

Sensier, M., Bristow, G. and Healy, A. 2016. Measuring regional economic resilience across Europe: operationalising a complex concept. Spatial Economic Analysis 11(2), pp. 128-151. (10.1080/17421772.2016.1129435)
Soroka, A. J., Naim, M. M., Bristow, G. I. and Purvis, L. 2016. An exploratory study of the resilience of manufacturing in the Cardiff Capital Region. Presented at: International Conference on Sustainable Design and Manufacturing (SDM-16), Chania, Crete, Greece, April 2016 Presented at Setchi, R. et al. eds.Sustainable Design and Manufacturing 2016, Vol. 52. Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies Vol. 52. Springer pp. 589-599., (10.1007/978-3-319-32098-4_50)

2015

Bristow, G. and Healy, A. 2015. Crisis response, choice and resilience: insights from complexity thinking. Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society 8(2), pp. 241-256. (10.1093/cjres/rsv002)

2011

Bristow, G. I., Pill, M. C., Davies, R. and Drinkwater, S. 2011. Welsh graduate migration. Project Report. [Online]. Cardiff: Cardiff University. Available at: http://www.wiserd.ac.uk/research/archive-projects/2011/welsh-graduate-migration/
Bristow, G. I., Pill, M. C., Davies, R. and Drinkwater, S. 2011. Stay, leave or return? Understanding Welsh graduate mobility. Working paper. Cardiff: Cardiff University. Available at: http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/socsi/research/researchcentres/skope/publications/WISERD_WPS_005.pdf
Munday, M. C. R., Bristow, G. I. and Cowell, R. J. W. 2011. Wind farms in rural areas: How far do community benefits from wind farms represent a local economic development opportunity?. Journal of Rural Studies 27(1), pp. 1-12. (10.1016/j.jrurstud.2010.08.003)
Cowell, R. J. W., Bristow, G. I. and Munday, M. C. R. 2011. Acceptance, acceptability and environmental justice: the role of community benefits in wind energy development. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management 54(4), pp. 539-557. (10.1080/09640568.2010.521047)
Bristow, G. I. 2011. Territorial competitiveness and local and regional economic development: a class tale of 'theory led by policy'. In: Pike, A., Rodriguez-Pose, A. and Tomaney, J. eds. Handbook of Local and Regional Development. London: Routledge, pp. 344-355.
Pill, M. C., Bristow, G. I., Davies, R. and Drinkwater, S. 2011. Stay, leave or return? Patterns of Welsh graduate mobility. People, Place and Policy Online 5(3) (10.3351/ppp.0005.0003.0002)

2010

Bristow, G. I. 2010. Resilient regions: re-'place'ing regional competitiveness. Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society 3(1), pp. 153-167. (10.1093/cjres/rsp030)
Bristow, G. I. 2010. Critical reflections on regional competitiveness: theory, policy and practice. Routledge Studies in Human Geography. London: Routledge.
Horlings, L. G., Kitchen, L. C., Marsden, T. K. and Bristow, G. I. 2010. Exploring the potential contributions of the bio-economy and the eco-economy to agri-food and rural regional development. Working paper. Cardiff: Centre for Business Relationships, Accountability, Sustainability and Society (BRASS), Cardiff University.
Bristow, G. 2010. Resilient regions: re-‘place'ing regional competitiveness. Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society 3(1), pp. 153-167. (10.1093/cjres/rsp030)

2009

Bristow, G. I., Farrington, J., Shaw, J. and Richardson, T. 2009. Developing an evaluation framework for crosscutting policy goals: the Accessibility Policy Assessment Tool. Environment and Planning A 41(1), pp. 48-62. (10.1068/a4092)
Wells, P. E., Bristow, G. I., Nieuwenhuis, P. A. H. F. and Christensen, T. B. 2009. The role of academia in regional sustainability initiatives: Wales. Journal of Cleaner Production 17(12), pp. 1116-1122. (10.1016/j.jclepro.2008.11.008)
Bristow, G. I. 2009. Limits to regional competitiveness. In: Tomaney, J. ed. The Future of Regional Policy. London: Smith Institute, pp. 25-32.

2008

Bristow, G. I., Entwistle, T. W., Hines, F. and Martin, S. J. 2008. New spaces for inclusion? Lessons from the 'Three-Thirds' Partnerships in Wales. International Journal of Urban and Regional Research 32(4), pp. 903-921. (10.1111/j.1468-2427.2008.00822.x)
Pickernell, D., Bristow, G. I., Kay, A. and Ryan, N. 2008. The primacy of politics: intergovernmental fiscal relations in the UK and Australia. Public Money and Management 28(2), pp. 115-122.

2007

Entwistle, T. W., Bristow, G. I., Hines, F., Donaldson, S. and Martin, S. J. 2007. The dysfunctions of markets, hierarchies and networks in the meta-governance of partnership. Urban Studies 44(1), pp. 63-79. (10.1080/00420980601023836)
Wells, P. E. and Bristow, G. I. 2007. Embedding eco-industrialism into local economies: the search for sustainable business and policy paradigms. Progress in Industrial Ecology 4(3/4), pp. 205-218.
Bristow, G. I., Bryan, J., Munday, M. C. R. and Roche, N. 2007. Review of the PBI Energise programme. Working paper. n/a.
Jones, C., Munday, M. C. R., Sartorio, F. and Bristow, G. I. 2007. Road user pricing: economic appraisal. Cardiff: Cardiff City Council.
Cowell, R. J. W., Bristow, G. I., Munday, M. C. R. and Strachan, P. 2007. Wind farm development in Wales: assessing the community benefits. Project Report. Cardiff: Welsh Assembly Government.

2006

Bristow, G. i. and Lovering, J. 2006. Shaping events, or celebrating the way the wind blows? The role of competitiveness strategy in Cardiff’s 'ordinary transformation'. In: Hooper, A. J. and Punter, J. V. eds. Capital Cardiff 1974- 2020: Regeneration, Competitiveness and the Urban Environment. Cardiff: University of Wales, pp. 311-329.
Bristow, G. I. and Morgan, K. 2006. De-industrialisation, the new service economy and the search for post-industrial prosperity. In: Hooper, A. J. and Punter, J. V. eds. Capital Cardiff 1974- 2020: regeneration, competitiveness and the urban environment. Cardiff: University of Wales Press, pp. 47-67.

2005

Bristow, G. I., Roberts, A., Martin, S. J. and Munday, M. C. R. 2005. Mid-term review of the Objective 1 programme for West Wales and the Valleys. Project Report. Cardiff, UK: CRG.
Bristow, G. I. 2005. Everyone's a Winner: Problematising the Discourse of Regional Competitiveness. Journal of Economic Geography 5(3), pp. 285-304. (10.1093/jeg/lbh063)
Bristow, G. I. and Wells, P. E. 2005. Innovative discourse for sustainable local development: a critical analysis of eco-industrialism. International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development 1(1/2), pp. 168-179.
Kay, A., Bristow, G. I., McGovern, M. and Pickernell, D. 2005. Fair division or fair dinkum? Australian lessons for intergovernmental fiscal relations in the United Kingdom. Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy 23(2), pp. 247 - 261. (10.1068/c38m)

2003

Bishop, P., Gripaios, P. and Bristow, G. I. 2003. Determinants of Call Centre Location: Some Evidence for UK Urban Areas. Urban Studies 40(13), pp. 2751-2768. (10.1080/0042098032000146876)
Bache, I. and Bristow, G. I. 2003. Devolution and the fractured executive: the public expenditure impact of European funding. British Journal of Politics and International Relations 5(3), pp. 405-427.
Bristow, G. I., Entwistle, T. W., Hines, F. and Martin, S. J. 2003. Partnership working between the public, private and voluntary sectors in Wales. Working paper. Cardiff: Welsh Assembly Government.
Bristow, G. I., Roberts, A., Martin, S. J. and Munday, M. C. R. 2003. Mid-term review of the Objective 3 operational programme for East Wales. Project Report. CRG.

2002

Marsden, T. k., Banks, J. and Bristow, G. I. 2002. The social management of rural nature: understanding agrarian-based rural development. Environment and Planning A 34(5), pp. 809 -825. (10.1068/a3427)
Bristow, G. I., Entwistle, T. W., Hines, F., Martin, S. J., Morgan, K. and Pithouse, A. J. 2002. Partnerships between the public, private and voluntary sectors: literature and document survey. Discussion Paper. Cardiff, UK: Cardiff University.

2001

Bristow, G. I. and Blewitt, N. 2001. The Structural Funds and additionality in Wales: devolution and multilevel governance. Environment and Planning A 33(6), pp. 1083-1100. (10.1068/a33183)

My research focuses on the development of places over time, and particularly how local and regional economies adapt their economies and respond to shocks. I have a particular interest in the role that key agents in the economy, including policy-makers, play in shaping resilience capacities and outcomes.

Current Projects:

Energy Transitions from Coal and Carbon: Effects on Societies (ENTRANCES)

Financed by Horizon 2020 this research project examining the implications of carbon transitions for social and economic justice iacross the EU. It will contribute to a better understanding of Just Transitions. Wales's problematic transition from coal-based economic activities in the 1980s provides important lessons for other regions currently experiencing a similar industrial transformation, which current proposals for the 'decarbonisation' of the economy and society provide opportunities to promote more equitable outcomes and overturn past inequalities.

Recent Projects:

Resilience in Groundwater Supply Systems (RIGSS)

Financed through the GCRF: Building Resilience programme, RIGSS explored the role of agency in resilience outcomes. It focused on the proliferation of privately-commissioned domestic boreholes in Nigeria, with an emphasis on the coastal city of Lagos, Maiduguri in North East Nigeria and, for comparison, a rural area in central Nigeria. The project adopted a highly innovative approach, combining perspectives from hydrogeology, psychology, economic geography and journalism. Further details can be found here: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/research/explore/find-a-project/view/523269-resilience-in-groundwater-supply-systems-integrating-resource-based-approaches-with-agency,-behaviour-and-choice-in-west-africa-rigss

Economic Crisis: Regional Resilience (ECR2). The economic crisis of 2008/09 raised important questions for policy makers and economic geographers alike. Why are some regions better able to withstand economic shocks than others? Why do some recover more quickly, whilst others appear to experience sustained stagnation. This pan-European research project was supported by the ESPON research programme with funds from the European Commission and all Member States. It reported in 2015.

Qualifications

BA (Hons) First Class: Economics, Cardiff University (1991)
PhD, Cardiff University (1995)

Career

University of Wales Junior Research Fellow, Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University (1995 - 1997)
Research Associate, Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University (1997-2000)
Lecturer in Economics, Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University (2000 - 2001)
Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Reader, Professor in Economic Geography, School of Geography and Planning, Cardiff University (2001 - present)

Professional memberships

Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales

Fellow of the Regional Studies Association

Member of the UK2070 Commission

External profiles

Twitter