Dr Richard Gale
Senior Lecturer in Human Geography
School of Geography and Planning
- Available for postgraduate supervision
Overview
Richard is a Lecturer in Human Geography whose research lies at the intersection of geography with sociology. Prior to coming to Cardiff, Richard was a DPhil student and Research Assistant at Oxford University and then a University Research Fellow in Sociology at Birmingham University. Richard has researched extensively on the relationship between ethnic and ethno-religious diversity and local authority planning. In particular, he has a longstanding interest in the relationship between planning and the spatial politics of mosque construction, on which he has published widely over the last two decades. With Dr Andrew Rogers of Roehampton University, Richard led a Research Council-funded ‘Faith and Place Network’, which generated a Policy Briefing, endorsed by the UK Central Government, the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and the Archbishops of Canterbury and Wales. Richard has also participated in number of significant government consultancies on the theme of faith and planning, under commission to central, local and devolved governments in the UK.
Publication
2024
- Williams, A., Webb, B. and Gale, R. 2024. Racism and the uneven geography of welfare sanctioning in England. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers 49(4), article number: e12677. (10.1111/tran.12677)
- Richmond, J., Aelbrecht, P., Aelbrecht, W., Sartorio, F., Gale, R. and Corr, M. 2024. Lessons from the Placemaking Toolkit for Wales. Urban Design Group Journal
2023
- Aelbrecht, P. et al. 2023. Placemaking toolkit for Wales: Improving the public realm in our towns and cities. Project Report. Cardiff University.
2021
- Boland, P., McKay, S., Sturm, T. and Gale, R. 2021. Religion, neoliberalism, planning : an analysis of ‘Northern Ireland’s ‘superchurch’. Religion, State and Society 49(1), pp. 61-79. (10.1080/09637494.2021.1909448)
2020
- Gale, R. and Thomas, H. 2020. Race, faith and planning in Britain. Routledge Research in Planning and Urban Design. London: Routledge. (10.4324/9781315644424)
2018
- Gale, R. and Thomas, H. 2018. Race at the margins: A Critical Race Theory perspective on race equality in UK planning.. Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy 36(3), pp. 460-478. (10.1177/2399654417723168)
2015
- Thomas, A. H. and Gale, R. T. 2015. Multicultural planning in twenty-first century Britain. In: Buryadi, M. ed. Cities and the Politics of Difference: Multiculturalism and Diversity in Urban Planning. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, pp. 109-131.
2014
- Gale, R. and O'Toole, T. 2014. Participatory governance in practice. In: Griggs, S., Wagenaar, H. and Norval, A. J. eds. Practices of Freedom: Decentred Governance, Conflict and Democratic Participation. Cambridge University Press, pp. 199-217.
- Gale, R. 2014. Between the city lines: Towards a spatial historiography of British Asian Birmingham. In: McLoughlin, S. et al. eds. Writing the City in British Asian Diasporas. Routledge Contemporary South Asia Series Abingdon and New York: Routledge, pp. 114-133.
2013
- O'Toole, T. and Gale, R. T. 2013. Political engagement amongst ethnic minority young people: making a difference. Palgrave Politics of Identity and Citizenship Series. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. (10.1057/9781137313317)
- Gale, R. T. 2013. Religious residential segregation and internal migration: The British muslim case. Environment and Planning A 45(4), pp. 872-891. (10.1068/a4515)
- Gale, R. T. 2013. Community cohesion and youth participation: The case of the Bradford Keighley Youth Parliament. Critical Social Policy
2010
- O’Toole, T. and Gale, R. T. 2010. Grammars of political action among urban Muslim youth. In: Micheletti, M. and McFarlane, A. S. eds. Creative Participation: Responsibility-taking in the Political World. Boulder, CO: Paradigm, pp. 67-81.
- O'Toole, T. and Gale, R. T. 2010. Contemporary grammars of political action among ethnic minority young activists. Ethnic and Racial Studies 33(1), pp. 126-143. (10.1080/01419870903118122)
2009
- Gale, R. T. and O’Toole, T. 2009. Young people and faith activism: British Muslim youth, glocalisation and the umma. In: Dinham, A., Furbey, R. and Lowndes, V. eds. Faith in the Public Realm: Controversies, Policies and Practices. Bristol: Policy, pp. 143-162.
- Gale, R. T. and Hopkins, P. 2009. Introduction. In: Hopkins, P. and Gale, R. eds. Muslims in Britain: Race, Place and Identities. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, pp. 1-19.
- Hopkins, P. and Gale, R. eds. 2009. Muslims in Britain: Race, place and identities. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
2008
- Gale, R. T. 2008. Locating religion in urban planning: beyond 'race' and ethnicity?. Planning Practice and Research 23(1), pp. 19-39. (10.1080/02697450802076415)
- O'Toole, T. and Gale, R. T. 2008. Learning from political sociology: structure, agency and inclusive governance. The International Journal of Children's Rights 16(3), pp. 369-378. (10.1163/157181808X311204)
2007
- Gale, R. T. 2007. The Place of Islam in the Geography of Religion: Trends and Intersections. Geography Compass 1(5), pp. 1015-1036. (10.1111/j.1749-8198.2007.00054.x)
2005
- Gale, R. T. 2005. Representing the City: Mosques and the Planning Process in Birmingham. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies 31(6), pp. 1161-1179. (10.1080/13691830500282857)
2004
- Gale, R. T. 2004. The Multicultural City and the Politics of Religious Architecture: Urban Planning, Mosques and Meaning-Making in Birmingham, UK. Built Environment 30(1), pp. 30-44. (10.2148/benv.30.1.30.54320)
2003
- Peach, C. and Gale, R. T. 2003. Muslims, Hindus, and Sikhs in the new Religious Landscape of England. Geographical Review 93(4), pp. 469-490. (10.1111/j.1931-0846.2003.tb00043.x)
2002
- Gale, R. T. and Naylor, S. 2002. Religion, Planning and the City: the Spatial Politics of Ethnic Minority Expression in British Cities and Towns. Ethnicities 2(3), pp. 387-409. (10.1177/14687968020020030601)
Articles
- Williams, A., Webb, B. and Gale, R. 2024. Racism and the uneven geography of welfare sanctioning in England. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers 49(4), article number: e12677. (10.1111/tran.12677)
- Richmond, J., Aelbrecht, P., Aelbrecht, W., Sartorio, F., Gale, R. and Corr, M. 2024. Lessons from the Placemaking Toolkit for Wales. Urban Design Group Journal
- Boland, P., McKay, S., Sturm, T. and Gale, R. 2021. Religion, neoliberalism, planning : an analysis of ‘Northern Ireland’s ‘superchurch’. Religion, State and Society 49(1), pp. 61-79. (10.1080/09637494.2021.1909448)
- Gale, R. and Thomas, H. 2018. Race at the margins: A Critical Race Theory perspective on race equality in UK planning.. Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy 36(3), pp. 460-478. (10.1177/2399654417723168)
- Gale, R. T. 2013. Religious residential segregation and internal migration: The British muslim case. Environment and Planning A 45(4), pp. 872-891. (10.1068/a4515)
- Gale, R. T. 2013. Community cohesion and youth participation: The case of the Bradford Keighley Youth Parliament. Critical Social Policy
- O'Toole, T. and Gale, R. T. 2010. Contemporary grammars of political action among ethnic minority young activists. Ethnic and Racial Studies 33(1), pp. 126-143. (10.1080/01419870903118122)
- Gale, R. T. 2008. Locating religion in urban planning: beyond 'race' and ethnicity?. Planning Practice and Research 23(1), pp. 19-39. (10.1080/02697450802076415)
- O'Toole, T. and Gale, R. T. 2008. Learning from political sociology: structure, agency and inclusive governance. The International Journal of Children's Rights 16(3), pp. 369-378. (10.1163/157181808X311204)
- Gale, R. T. 2007. The Place of Islam in the Geography of Religion: Trends and Intersections. Geography Compass 1(5), pp. 1015-1036. (10.1111/j.1749-8198.2007.00054.x)
- Gale, R. T. 2005. Representing the City: Mosques and the Planning Process in Birmingham. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies 31(6), pp. 1161-1179. (10.1080/13691830500282857)
- Gale, R. T. 2004. The Multicultural City and the Politics of Religious Architecture: Urban Planning, Mosques and Meaning-Making in Birmingham, UK. Built Environment 30(1), pp. 30-44. (10.2148/benv.30.1.30.54320)
- Peach, C. and Gale, R. T. 2003. Muslims, Hindus, and Sikhs in the new Religious Landscape of England. Geographical Review 93(4), pp. 469-490. (10.1111/j.1931-0846.2003.tb00043.x)
- Gale, R. T. and Naylor, S. 2002. Religion, Planning and the City: the Spatial Politics of Ethnic Minority Expression in British Cities and Towns. Ethnicities 2(3), pp. 387-409. (10.1177/14687968020020030601)
Book sections
- Thomas, A. H. and Gale, R. T. 2015. Multicultural planning in twenty-first century Britain. In: Buryadi, M. ed. Cities and the Politics of Difference: Multiculturalism and Diversity in Urban Planning. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, pp. 109-131.
- Gale, R. and O'Toole, T. 2014. Participatory governance in practice. In: Griggs, S., Wagenaar, H. and Norval, A. J. eds. Practices of Freedom: Decentred Governance, Conflict and Democratic Participation. Cambridge University Press, pp. 199-217.
- Gale, R. 2014. Between the city lines: Towards a spatial historiography of British Asian Birmingham. In: McLoughlin, S. et al. eds. Writing the City in British Asian Diasporas. Routledge Contemporary South Asia Series Abingdon and New York: Routledge, pp. 114-133.
- O’Toole, T. and Gale, R. T. 2010. Grammars of political action among urban Muslim youth. In: Micheletti, M. and McFarlane, A. S. eds. Creative Participation: Responsibility-taking in the Political World. Boulder, CO: Paradigm, pp. 67-81.
- Gale, R. T. and O’Toole, T. 2009. Young people and faith activism: British Muslim youth, glocalisation and the umma. In: Dinham, A., Furbey, R. and Lowndes, V. eds. Faith in the Public Realm: Controversies, Policies and Practices. Bristol: Policy, pp. 143-162.
- Gale, R. T. and Hopkins, P. 2009. Introduction. In: Hopkins, P. and Gale, R. eds. Muslims in Britain: Race, Place and Identities. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, pp. 1-19.
Books
- Gale, R. and Thomas, H. 2020. Race, faith and planning in Britain. Routledge Research in Planning and Urban Design. London: Routledge. (10.4324/9781315644424)
- O'Toole, T. and Gale, R. T. 2013. Political engagement amongst ethnic minority young people: making a difference. Palgrave Politics of Identity and Citizenship Series. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. (10.1057/9781137313317)
- Hopkins, P. and Gale, R. eds. 2009. Muslims in Britain: Race, place and identities. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
Monographs
- Aelbrecht, P. et al. 2023. Placemaking toolkit for Wales: Improving the public realm in our towns and cities. Project Report. Cardiff University.
Research
Richard's substantive interests are in the areas of ethnic and religious segregation, place and the politics of identity, religion and urban governance, and ethnicity and political participation. Richard is interested in debates surrounding social research methodology, and is committed to strategies that combine the insights of quantitative and qualitative research approaches. To date, his primary contributions have been to debates in the geographical study of religion and Islam in the UK and the political engagement of young people of minority ethnic heritage. He is also increasingly committed to research that builds on co-productive relationships between academics and community groups. This is particulary expressed thorugh research Richard leads in partnership with the Somaliland community in Cardiff, with support from Cardiff University's Community Gateway, as well as the ESRC and Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF).
Projects and awards
[1] 2020: (CI) £198,484, HEFCW GCRF Catalyst, ‘Transforming resilience across water and food systems’
[2] 2020: (PI) £48,869 British Academy, ‘“Every living thing”: The nexus of cultural and economic values within resilient urban water systems (A case study of Hargeisa, Somaliland)’
[3] 2019: (PI) £29,779 Global Challenges Research Fund Small Project Award, ‘Pastoral Livestock Health: Harnessing Indigenous Knowledge to Address a Global Sustainable Development Challenge’
[4] 2019: (PI) £9,921 Global Challenges Research Fund Facilitation Award, ‘Cardiff University-Somaliland Research Collaboration’
[5] 2018: Nominated for Royal Town Planning Institute’s Sir Peter Hall ‘Excellence in Research’ Award
[6] 2018: (PI) £3,558, ESRC Impact Accelerator Award, ‘Planning for Religious Diversity in Wales’
[7] 2017: (PI) £5,500, British Council (Leadership development Programme), ‘Supporting institutional renewal and promoting teaching excellence in Ukraine’
[8] 2016:(CI) £75,000, London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, ‘Faith groups and meeting places: Evidence based study’ with CAG Consultants, LUC and Dr Andrew Rogers, Roehampton University
[9] 2014: (CI) £41,000, Arts and Humanities Research Council, ‘Faith and Place Network: Minority Faith Communities in Planning’
[10] 2011: (PI) £7,000, British Academy, Small Grant, 'Distant Relations and Proximate Others? Friendship Networks in Ethnically Diverse Neighbourhoods'
[11] 2010: (PI) £3,000, Royal Geographical Society, Small Grant, ‘Street Corner Conviviality? Neighbourhood Diversity and Social Network Formation’
[12] 2009: £574, ESRC Research Methods Bursary, Higher Course in Statistics, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield
[13] 2008: £500, ESRC Fee-Waiver Award, Advanced Quantitative Methods, Methods and Data Institute, Nottingham University
[14] 2007: £749, ESRC Research Methods Bursary, Demographic Analysis and Projection, Centre for Census and Survey Research, University of Manchester
[15] 2006: (CI) £25,000, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) for ‘Review of the Evidence Base on Faith Communities’
[16] 2005: (PI) £7,500, Nuffield Foundation ‘Small Grants Scheme’ Award, ‘Patterns of Religious Discrimination in Urban Planning’
[17] 2000: (PI) ESRC Doctoral Studentship for thesis on urban planning and religious minority groups, University of Oxford
Biography
Qualifications
- Postgraduate Certificate in University Teaching and Learning, Cardiff University (2012)
- D.Phil Human Geography, University of Oxford (2004)
- PG Cert Social Science Research Methods, Oxford Brookes University (2000)
- MA Area Studies (South Asia), SOAS, University of London (1998)
- BA (Hons.) History of Art and Architecture, University of East Anglia (1996)
Career
-
2009-present: Lecturer/Senior Lecturer, School of Geography and Planning, Cardiff University
2005-2009: Birmingham Research Fellow in Sociology (Ethnicity and Culture) (F/T) Department of Sociology, University of Birmingham (Visiting Research Fellow, Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, European University Institute, Florence, 2007)
2004-2005: Research Fellow (F/T) to Dr Therese O’Toole, Department of Sociology, University of Birmingham. Leverhulme Trust funded project, Political Interest and Engagement among Black and Minority Ethnic Youth
2003-2004: Research Assistant (F/T) to Professor Ceri Peach, School of Geography, University of Oxford. ESRC funded project, The Social Geography of British South Asian Muslim, Sikh and Hindu Sub-Communities
1999-2000: Research Assistant (F/T) to Professor Ceri Peach, School of Geography, University of Oxford. Leverhulme Trust-funded project, Ethnicity and Cultural Landscapes
Contact Details
+44 29208 75275
Glamorgan Building, Room Room 2.86, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3WA