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Staff Profile

Dr Olivia Mason

Research Associate

Background

I have a PhD in Human Geography from Durham University and prior to this gained a BA in Human Geography from Newcastle University and a MRes from Glasgow University. I am currently a Research Associate in Geography at Newcastle University and PI of an ESRC New Investigator Grant entitled 'A cultural politics of nature reserves'. Prior to this I was employed as a Lecturer in Human Geography at the University of Glasgow, as an ESRC Postdoctoral Fellow in the Geography Department at Newcastle University and as a Lecturer in Political Geography at Newcastle University. 

Research

My research sits at the interface of cultural and political geography and focuses primarily on issues relating to mobility politics and resource colonialism. My research projects have included explorations of long distance walking trails in the Middle East and their associated im/mobilities, territorial and nationalist politics, and (post)colonial geographies. I am currently PI of a research project entitled 'Cultural politics of nature reserves: resource tensions, (post)colonial state making, and Bedouin in Jordan' that explores relationships between Bedouin, environmental changes, and nature conservation. The key aims of this research are to 1) understand how rural communities can be better incorporated into nature conservation and environmental governance and 2) explore the relationships between rural communities, nature, and identity.


Throughout my research used a wide range of qualitative methods including participatory filmmaking, story-mapping, and mobile interviews. My research has been funded by grants and fellowships from the ESRC and Council for British Research in the Levant.

 

Teaching

I have eight years of teaching experience in higher education and I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. I teach across a variety of topics and subjects including political geography, the Middle East, research methods, cultural politics, and biopolitics.


I take a research-based approach in my teaching. In particular introducing students to real-world issues in my teaching to offer a clear, practical, and applied route into theoretical discussions.


Modules I have taught on include:

GEO1096: Geographical Skills: Seminar Leader

GEO1010 Interconnected World: Lecturer and Seminar Leader

GEO1015 Contemporary Human Geography of the UK: Lecturer

GEO1018: Geographical Analysis: Seminar Leader

GEO2111: Doing Human Geography Research: Seminar Leader

GEO2125: Fieldwork at Home: Module Leader

GEO2139 Exploring Everyday Political Geographies in a Divided City: Nicosia: Co-module Leader and Lecturer.

GEO2047 Political Geography: Module Leader and Lecturer

GEO3102 Geopolitics: Module Leader and Lecturer

GEO3099 Dissertation: Dissertation Supervisor

Publications