Dr David Beel

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Dr David Beel

Senior Lecturer (Human Geography)

My profile

Biography

After completing my undergraduate degree in Geography at the University of Hull and then a masters and PhD at the University of Glasgow again in Geography, I then became Research Fellow at the University of Aberdeen, working in the dot.rural digital economy hub. I then worked as a Research Associate at the University of Sheffield working on ‘Spaces of New Localism - Stakeholder Engagement and Economic Development in Wales and England’ (WISERD Civil Society, Cardiff University). I then moved to be a Senior Researcher at the Staffordshire University working in Centre for City Region Dynamics and the Department of Geography. I am also an Honorary Research Fellow in Geography at the University of Sheffield and Associate Fellow at SPERI. I then became a Senior Lecturer at MMU based within the Future Economies team as part of the Department for Economics, Public Policy and International Business.

I am now a Senior Lecturer in Human Geography in the Department of Natural Sciences at MMU. In this role I am currently conducting research on and publishing in relation to the integration of foundational economic thinking into various policy agendas alongside continued work on the development of City-Regions in the UK. 

Get in touch

410 John Dalton East

Teaching

I would be keen to supervise PhD students on the following topics:

  • Local economic policy
  • City-Region governance 
  • City/regional economic development 
  • Rural development  
  • Alternative economic models (foundational economy etc)
  • Civil society 
  • Social innovation

Research outputs

  • Books (authored/edited/special issues)

    Beel, D., Jones, M., Jones, I.R. (2021) City Regions and Devolution in the UK The Politics of Representation. Policy Press.

  • Chapters in books

    Beel, D., Wallace, C. (2023) 'The role of civil society in cultural heritage, digitalisation and the quality of rural life.' Rural Quality of Life. pp. 274-297.

    Beel, D., Jones, M., Jones, I.R. (2022) 'Civil society and the governance of city region economic development.' In Chaney, P., Rees Jones, I. (ed.) Civil Society in an Age of Uncertainty: institutions, governance and existential challenges. Policy Press, pp. 33-53.

    Beel, D., Wallace, C. (2021) 'How can cultural heritage contribute to community development and wellbeing.' In Cieslik, M. (ed.) Researching Happiness: Qualitative, Biographical and Critical Perspectives. Policy Press,

    Beel, D., Jones, M. (2020) 'Region, Place, Devolution: geohistory still matters.' In Edensor, T., Kalandides, A., Kothari, U. (ed.) The Routledge Handbook of Place. Routledge, pp. 53-65.

    Beel, D., Jones, M., Jones, I.R. (2018) 'Regionalisation and Civil Society in a Time of Austerity: The Cases of Manchester and Sheffield.' In Berry, C., Giovannini, A. (ed.) Developing England’s North: The Political Economy of the Northern Powerhouse. Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 241-260.

    Beel, D., Jones, M., Jones, I.R. (2017) 'City-Region Building and Geohistorical Matters.' In Riding, J., Jones, M. (ed.) Reanimating Regions: Culture, Politics, and Performance. Routledge,

  • Reports

    Beel, D., Russell, B., Jones, I.R., Morgan, K., Jones, M. (2022) Research Report: North Wales Growth Deal. Wales Institute of Social and Economic Research and Data (WISERD).

    Whittle, R., Spence, C., Beel, D., Jahangir, S., Mills, S. (2019) Greater Manchester Independent Prosperity Review: Retail. A technical report for the research on Productivity. Greater Manchester Independent Prosperity Review.

    Etherington, D., Jeffrey, R., Thomas, P., Brooks, J., Beel, D., Jones, M. Forging an Inclusive Labour Market: Empowering Workers and Communities: A Report on Low Pay and Precarious Work in Sheffield. Middlesex University.

    Thomas, P., Etherington, D., Jeffery, B., Beresford, R., Beel, D., Jones, M. Tackling Labour Market Injustice and Organising Workers: The View from a Northern Heartland. Sheffield Hallam University.

    Beel, D., Wallace, C. (2014) EViDAnCE Project Report.

    Beel, D., Nguyen, H., Paton, K., Mellish, C., Wallace, C., Edwards, P. (2014) CURIOS Mobile Project Report.

    Beel, D. (2013) CCN+Horizon Scanning - Aotearoa/New Zealand Report.

    Beel, D. (2011) Tales From a River Bank: Bullying, The Arts, and the Production of Museum Space.

  • Journal articles

    Thompson, M., Cator, C., Beel, D., Ian, R.J., Morgan, K., Martin, J. (2024) 'Amsterdam’s circular economy at a world-ecological crossroads: postcapitalist degrowth or the next regime of capital accumulation?.' Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society,

    Berry, C., Bailey, D., Beel, D., O’Donovan, N. (2022) 'Building back before: fiscal and monetary support for the economy in Britain amid the COVID-19 crisis.' Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, 16(1) pp. 49-64.

    Russell, B., Beel, D., Jones, I.R., Jones, M. (2022) 'Placing the Foundational Economy: an emerging discourse for post-neoliberal economic development.' Environment and Planning A, 54(6) pp. 1069-1085.

    Beel, D., Jones, M. (2021) 'City region limits: Questioning city-centric growth narratives in medium-sized cities.' Local Economy: The Journal of the Local Economy Policy Unit, 36(1) pp. 3-21.

    Beel, D., Crotty, J., Docherty, I., McCormick, J., Rae, N., Stewart, D. (2020) 'Ronan Paddison: reflections on a supervisor, mentor, friend.' Space and Polity, 24(2) pp. 294-307.

    Beel, D., Jones, M., Plows, A. (2019) 'Urban Growth Strategies in Rural Regions: Building he North Wales Growth Deal.' Regional Studies, 54(5) pp. 719-731.

    Beel, D. (2018) 'Elite City-Deals For Economic Growth? Cardiff Capital Region, Devolution and the Positioning of Civil Society Actors.' Space and Polity, 22(3) pp. 307-327.

    Beel, D., Jones, M., Rees Jones, I., Escadale, W. (2018) 'Connected growth: Developing a framework to drive inclusive growth across a city-region.' Local Economy: The Journal of the Local Economy Policy Unit, 32(6) pp. 565-575.

    Beel, D., Wallace, C. (2018) 'Gathering Together: Social Capital, Cultural Capital, the Value of Cultural Heritage in a Digital Age.' Social and Cultural Geography, 21(5) pp. 697-717.

    Beel, D.E. (2017) '‘The will to empower’: reworking governmentality in the museum.' Area, 49(4) pp. 460-467.

    Wallace, C., Vincent, K., Luguzan, C., Townsend, L., Beel, D. (2017) 'Information technology and social cohesion: A tale of two villages.' Journal of Rural Studies, 54pp. 426-434.

    Beel, D.E., Wallace, C.D., Webster, G., Nguyen, H., Tait, E., Macleod, M., Mellish, C. (2017) 'Cultural resilience: The production of rural community heritage, digital archives and the role of volunteers.' Journal of Rural Studies, 54pp. 459-468.

    Roberts, E., Beel, D., Philip, L., Townsend, L. (2017) 'Rural resilience in a digital society: Editorial.' Journal of Rural Studies, 54pp. 355-359.

    Beel, D., Jones, M., Jones, I.R. (2016) 'Regulation, governance and agglomeration: Making links in city-region research.' Regional Studies, Regional Science, 3(1) pp. 509-530.

    Beel, D., Wallace, C., Webster, G., Nguyen, H. (2015) 'The Geographies of Community Heritage and Digital Archives in Rural Scotland.' Scottish Geographical Journal, 131(3-4) pp. 201-211.

    Philip, L.J., Townsend, L., Roberts, E., Beel, D. (2015) 'The Rural Digital Economy.' Scottish Geographical Journal, 131(3-4) pp. 143-147.

    Tait, E., MacLeod, M., Beel, D.E., Wallace, C., Mellish, C., Taylor, S. (2013) 'Linking to the past: an analysis of community digital heritage initiatives..' Aslib Proceedings, 65(6) pp. 564-580.

    Beel, D.E. (2009) 'New labour and the museum in Scotland: Social inclusion and the citizen.' Scottish Geographical Journal, 125(3-4) pp. 344-352.

  • Conference papers

    Beel, D., Russell, B., Jones, I.R., Jones, M., Morgan, K. (2023) 'Grappling with the foundational in a rural region: state-space opportunities for and limitations to social innovation.' In Global Conference on Economic Geography. Dublin, 10/6/2022.

    Beel, D., Russell, B., Jones, I.R., Jones, M. (2022) 'Placing the Foundational Economy: An emerging discourse for post-neoliberal economic development.' In Political Studies Association - British Compartitive Political Economy. Manchester, 8/9/2022 - 8/9/2022.

    Beel, D., Russell, B., Jones, I.R., Jones, M., Morgan, K. (2022) 'Grappling with the foundational in a rural region: state-space opportunities for and limitations to social innovation.' In WISERD Annual Conference. Swansea, 6/7/2022 - 13/1/2023.

    Beel, D., Jones, M., Jones, I.R. (2018) 'Co-opting Through City Region Building and Devolution? Positioning Civil Society in and Outside the City Region.' In RGS-IBG Annual Conference. Cardiff, 1/8/2018 - 1/8/2018.

    Beel, D., Jones, M., Plows, A. (2018) 'Urban Growth Strategies in Rural Regions: Building the North Wales Growth Deal.' In WISERD Annual Conference. Cardiff, 1/6/2018 - 1/6/2018.

    Beel, D., Jones, M., Jones, I.R. (2018) 'Agents and Obstacles in City-Region Building: Austerity, the Local State and Civil Society.' In AAG. New Orleans, USA, 1/1/2018 - 1/1/2018.

    Beel, D., Jones, M., Jones, I.R. (2017) 'Positioning Civil Society in the Building of English and Welsh City-Regions.' In RSA Annual Conference. Dublin, Eire, 1/1/2017 - 1/1/2017.

    Beel, D., Jones, M., Jones, I.R. (2017) 'Positioning Civil Society in the building of Welsh City-Regions.' In WISERD Annual Conference. Bangor, Wales, 1/1/2017 - 1/1/2017.

    Beel, D., Jones, M., Jones, I.R. (2017) 'Connected Growth: Developing a Framework to Drive Inclusive Growth Across a City-Region.' In NCVO Annual Conference. Nottingham, UK, 1/1/2017 - 1/1/2017.

    Beel, D., Jones, M., Jones, I.R. (2017) 'Positioning Civil Society in the Building of English and Welsh City Regions.' In RSA Winter Conference. London, UK, 1/1/2017 - 1/1/2017.

    Beel, D., Jones, M., Jones, I.R. (2017) 'Positioning Civil Society in the Building of English and Welsh City Regions.' In RGS-IBG Annual Conference. London, UK, 1/1/2017 - 1/1/2017.

    Beel, D., Jones, M., Jones, I.R. (2016) 'Regulation, Governance and Agglomeration: Strands, Connections and Missing Links in City Region Devolution.' In SPERI Annual Conference. Sheffield, UK, 1/1/2016 - 1/1/2016.

    Beel, D., Jones, M., Jones, I.R. (2016) 'The VCSE Role in Devolution: Lessons From Sheffield, Cardiff, Greater Manchester and Swansea.' In VSNW Conference. Manchester, UK, 1/1/2016 - 1/1/2016.

    Beel, D., Jones, M., Jones, I.R. (2016) 'Shaping the City Region? The Positioning of Civil Society Actors in City Region Devolution.' In RSA Winter Conference. London, UK, 1/1/2016 - 1/1/2016.

    Beel, D., Jones, M., Jones, I.R. (2016) 'Elite City-Deals? Welsh City Regions and the Positioning of Civil Society Actors.' In EURS. Chania, 1/1/2016 - 1/1/2016.

    Beel, D., Jones, M., Jones, I.R. (2016) 'Elite City-Deals? Welsh City Regions and the Positioning of Civil Society Actors.' In WISERD Annual Conference. Swansea, Wales, 1/1/2016 - 1/1/2016.

    Webster, G., Nguyen, H.H., Beel, D.E., Mellish, C., Wallace, C.D., Pan, J. (2015) 'CURIOS: Connecting community heritage through linked data.' pp. 639-648.

    Beel, D., Jones, M., Jones, I.R. (2015) 'Regulation, Governance and Agglomeration: Missing Links in City-Region Research.' In RGS-IBG. Exeter, UK, 1/1/2015 - 1/1/2015.

    Nguyen, H.H., Beel, D., Webster, G., Mellish, C., Pan, J.Z., Wallace, C. (2015) 'CURIOS mobile: Linked data exploitation for tourist mobile apps in rural areas.' 8943. pp. 129-145.

    Webster, G., Nguyen, H.H., Beel, D.E., Mellish, C., Wallace, C.D., Pan, J.Z. (2015) 'CURIOS: Connecting Community Heritage through Linked Data..' Cosley, D., Forte, A., Ciolfi, L., McDonald, D. (ed.) ACM, pp. 639-648.

    Beel, D., Jones, M., Jones, I.R. (2015) 'Regulation, Governance and Agglomeration: Strands, Connections and Missing Links in City Region Devolution.' In WISERD Annual Conference. Cardiff, Wales, 1/1/2015 - 1/1/2015.

    Beel, D. (2014) 'CURIOS: Community History and Digital Archives in the Outer Hebrides - Public Lecture.' In Kings Museum Public Lecture. 7/10/2014 - 7/10/2014.