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Staff Profile

Dr Jane Midgley

Reader in Urban Social and Economic Practice

Background

Introduction

I am a social scientist working across economic geography, economic sociology and public policy to explore how different values and responsibilities inform different activities, particularly in relation to food and waste systems.


Roles and Responsibilities

I act as personal tutor to students on the MSc Urban Planning programme. 

I am a member of the University Ethics Committee.

I am UoA13 REF29 Coordinator.


Beyond the University I act as Chair of Food Newcastle.


Qualifications

BA (Hons): Land Economy, University of Cambridge

MPhil: Land Economy, University of Cambridge

PhD: University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Human Geography/Socio-economics


Teaching

Undergraduate Teaching

TCP2027 Research Skills (module leader)

TCP2028 Understanding Cities (contributor)

TCP3099 Dissertation (supervisor)


Postgraduate Teaching

TCP8911 Evaluation, Analysis and Research (contributor)

TCP8034 Planning and Sustainability (contributor)

TCP8099 Dissertation (supervisor) 

Research

Research Interests

My research has consistently examined the critical role of responsibility in contemporary societies and economies, and how this is ascribed, understood and responded to by different actors (communities, third sector/civil society organisations, industry or local and national governments). A key aspect of this is to understand and explore how different values are acknowledged and inform expectations and inform different arrangements. This is achieved by exploring the actions and practices that are undertaken to enable the 'making' and 'doing' of different processes in and across different sites and different scales of activity. My research often uses site-based ethnography which I typically bring together with critical policy analysis.


My work has focused on two main topics: (i) insecurity and responsibility and what this means for individuals, households and communities framed by feminist theory; my doctoral thesis explored women's financial inclusion whereas more recently underpinned by feminist ethics of care theory I have critically considered food (meal-based) provisioning offers organised by community groups in a range of community cafes; and (ii) surplus food and food waste, here I focus on the transition of food to waste and actions taken to prevent this, such as interventions in the commercial food system to redistribute surplus food, and explore the interplay between institutions, values and practices that help to inform this process. I particularly look at the work of policy, food industry and third sector actors in identifying and redistributing surplus food, and explore the socio-technical arrangements of this process. Recently these have been taken forward through my impact work. Currently I am exploring food waste from focusing on local authority responsibility and activities in managing this waste.


Recent projects 

My recent project 'Food Waste Futures' explores the readiness, best practice and challenges facing local authorities in England when preparing to implement weekly food waste collections as required by Environment Act 2021. The research asks more critical questions of waste policy and planning. The final report (authored 20 November 2024) is available here.  This has informed my current project ‘Food waste futures: next steps’ which has convened a working group of LA waste managers to identify the problems and generate possible collective solutions for authorities with exemptions to the spring 2026 household food waste collection deadline.


‘Making provisions: anticipating food emergencies and assembling the food system’, with my colleague Dr Andrew Donaldson, and funded by the ESRC with the FSA. This research examined how uncertain futures are made manageable both in the day-to-day running of the food system and in expectation of more exceptional circumstances. The project developed a critical understanding of the forms of anticipatory action that exist in the food system, how these are undertaken, who and what they involve and the ways in which they help create and stabilise the relationships that underpin the food system.


Postgraduate Supervision

Jane would welcome any postgraduate applications to study issues that with fit with her research interests.

Completed students:

  • Kieran Cutting - 'Designing for an affective politics of possibility: making futures that transcend capitalist realism in the 'post'-austerity children's social care system' (EPSRC Digital Civics CDT, awarded 2024)
  • Sebastian Prost 'Infrastructuring food democracy: Designing social innovations with food citizens in north east England' (EPSRC Digital Civics CDT, awarded 2023)
  • Duygu Okumus 'Rethinking rural transitions: the case of Bozcaada, Turkey' (awarded 2018)
  • Helen Coulson 'Ecologies of care: An ethnographic study of collective urban food gardens in Edinburgh, Scotland' (ESRC NINE DTP funded, awarded 2016)
  • Alan Hunt 'Civic engagement in food system governance: A comparative perspective on American and English local food movements' (Fulbright part-funded, awarded 2013) 
  • Elizabeth Brooks 'Are country towns sustainable for older people?' (ESRC/DCLG funded, awarded 2011)


Research and Impact Funding

HASS QR Policy Funding (2025) ‘Food waste futures: next steps’ convening a working group of English Local Authority waste managers who are working with transitional agreements for household food waste collections.

ESRC IAA (2024) 'Food waste futures'. Project to explore the readiness, best practice and challenges facing local authorities in England when preparing to implement weekly food waste collections as required by Environment Act 2021.

HASS Faculty Impact Follow-On Fund (2022-23) 'Surplus Food Redistribution: Awareness and Action in Newcastle'. Continuing work with the cross-sector food redistribution working group in Newcastle and building on the June 2022 workshop we have developed on-line decision tool for anyone in Newcastle (individual, food business or community organisation) with safe surplus food that they would like to share with others in the city to stop this going to waste. The work developing the decision tool was jointly supported by Newcastle City Council. The decision tool can be accessed here https://bindfood.netlify.app/ . The group has now established itself and become net zero food waste action group for Newcastle.

HASS Faculty Bid Preparation Funding (2020-1) Supplying humanitarian food aid. This research focused on the less visible actors, practices and technologies that together work to organise and enable humanitarian responses (focusing on food aid and assistance) in emergency situations. The empirical focus of this research are international organisations working in the humanitarian sector and their procurement and supply chain arrangements.

ESRC IAA (2019-22) 'Surplus Food Redistribution: Awareness and Action in Newcastle'. This project has established a cross-sector surplus food redistribution working group in Newcastle. Working with BIND CIC follow the link to our workshop summary to explore the barriers and potential for surplus sharing across the city https://www.projectbind.com/partnerships held 29 June 2022.

ESRC IAA (2018) 'A recipe for success: exploring community building and impacts brought by a new community café.' Co-produced research with project partners REfUSE CIC and café regulars. Read our full end of project report. 

ESRC with FSA (2015-17, Co-Investigator) Making provisions: anticipating food emergences and assembling the food system.

Catherine Cookson Foundation (2011-12) Serving society? The role of soup kitchens and soup runs in urban social order 

Newcastle University HASS Faculty funding (2009-10) Exploring responses to household and community food insecurity

ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowship (2004-05) Socio-economics of the household

ESRC Postgraduate Studentship (open competition, 2000-03) Women's access to financial services in rural households


Industrial Relevance

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Publications