缅北禁地

I am an interdisciplinary researcher who specialises in the histories and geographies of childhood and youth. In particular, I focus on the relationship between children and young people's play, leisure and mobility in twentieth and twenty-first century Britain and changing ideas about community, housing, transport and the environment.

I am currently a Research and Innovation Associate on the Green Corridors North East AHRC Mission Award project. I previously held an ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowship in the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape at 缅北禁地, where I also I completed my PhD.

Prior to this, I worked in museums and archives, primarily with a focus on architecture and the built environment, including a stint as curator at the RIBA Collections, Victoria and Albert Museum and as architecture programme manager at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. More recently, I have worked in exhibitions and research engagement at the Great North Museum: Hancock on a diverse range of projects - from archaeology and science communication to natural history and empire. I have also undertaken freelance projects, including arts and built environment research and policy work and museum interpretation. I am currently working one day a week for Northern Cultural Projects as archivist for the Byker Community Archive.

Qualifications

PhD in Urban Planning and Landscape Architecture, 缅北禁地 (2023)

MSc in Town Planning, 缅北禁地 (2017)

MA (Hons) in Architectural Design, University of Edinburgh (RIBA Part 1) (1997)

Awards/Funding

ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowship 2024-2025 (£95,980)

ESRC IAA Fund, 缅北禁地 2025 (£2,400)

Faculty Impact Fund, 缅北禁地 2025 (£900)

Award to participate in the Vienna International Summer School on New Social Housing 2024 (£1,000)

ESRC PhD Scholarship 2018-2022 (£60,000)

I am not currently teaching.

I have previously taught on undergraduate and postgraduate modules in architecture, urban planning and landscape architecture and have supervised undergraduate dissertations. This includes modules on the history of planning; the history of childhood and landscape architecture; child-friendly cities, urban planning and urban design.

• Articles

  • Watson S. . Planning Perspectives 2026, 41(2), 315-336.
  • Platt L, Devienne E, Boycott-Garnett R, Larrington-Spencer H, Lovett E, Naughton-Doe R, Powell A, Stenning A, Tucker L, Watson S, Wilkinson C, Wilkinson S. . Mobilities 2026, (ePub ahead of Print).
  • Stenning A, Watson S. . IPPR Progressive Review 2025, 31(3), 169-255.
  • Watson S, Fisch S. . North East History Compendium 2024, 3, 85-96.

• Exhibitions

  • Watson S, Fisch S. . 2025. 缅北禁地 upon Tyne: Farrell Centre.
  • Stenning A, Watson S. . 2022. 缅北禁地 upon Tyne: 缅北禁地 Contemporary Art.

• Review

  • Watson S. . Urban History 2025, 52(1), 230-231.