Philip Hubbard (born 1969,

Ashford, Kent Ashford is a town in the Borough of Ashford, Ashford district, in the county of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Great Stour at the southern or Escarpment, scarp edge of the North Downs, about by road southeast of centr ...

) is a British geographer. He is currently Professor of Urban Studies at

King's College London King's College London (informally King's or KCL) is a public university, public research university in London, England. King's was established by royal charter in 1829 under the patronage of George IV of the United Kingdom, King George IV ...

, having previously served as the head of the School of Social Policy, Sociology, and Social Research,

University of Kent The University of Kent (formerly the University of Kent at Canterbury, abbreviated as UKC) is a Collegiate university, collegiate public university, public research university based in Kent, United Kingdom. The university was granted its roya ...

. Hubbard has written widely cited work on

urban sociology Urban sociology is the sociological study of cities and urban life. One of the field’s oldest sub-disciplines, urban sociology studies and examines the social, historical, political, cultural, economic, and environmental forces that have shaped ...

urban geography Urban geography is the subdiscipline of geography that derives from a study of cities and urban processes. Urban geographers and urbanists examine various aspects of urban life and the built environment. Scholars, activists, and the public have ...

, and social geographies. This work has often engaged with questions of gentrification, social segregation and housing. Hubbard was previously editor of the journal ''Social & Cultural Geography'', ''Urban Studies'', and chair of the Social and Cultural Geography Research Group of the

Royal Geographical Society The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers), often shortened to RGS, is a learned society and professional body for geography based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical scien ...

. Hubbard's work has principally focused on contested land uses in the city, and the resolution of social conflict via legal techniques of planning and licensing. This has combined Foucauldian theories of

governmentality Governmentality is a theory of power developed by French philosopher Michel Foucault, which analyses ''governmental" power through both the power states have over the population and the means by which subjects govern themselves. As a form of pow ...

with insights derived from

psychoanalytical PsychoanalysisFrom Greek: and is a set of theories and techniques of research to discover unconscious processes and their influence on conscious thought, emotion and behaviour. Based on dream interpretation, psychoanalysis is also a talk therap ...

and

queer theory Queer theory is a field of post-structuralist critical theory that emerged in the early 1990s out of queer studies (formerly often known as gay and lesbian studies) and women's studies. The term "queer theory" is broadly associated with the study a ...

which focus on questions of disgust and exclusion. Hubbard has also written or co-edited a number of texts and collections on theory and philosophy in human geography. In 2017 his book on the retail gentrification of British cities, ''The Battle for The High Street'', was published. The second edition of his text ''City'' was published in 2018. Hubbard is also well known as a leading figure in the study of

sexuality and space Sexuality and space is a field of study within human geography. The phrase encompasses all relationships and interactions between human sexuality, space and place, themes studied within cultural geography, i.e., environmental and architectural ps ...

. His work has concentrated on issues around

prostitution Prostitution is a type of sex work that involves engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, no ...

, and in particular the location, regulation, and impact of street prostitution and

sexual entertainment venues In the United Kingdom, a sex establishment licence is a form of licence required for carrying on some types of sex-related businesses. Sex establishment licences are granted by local authorities, under the powers granted by the Local Government (M ...

in England, Wales, and Scotland. In 2015, Hubbard presented evidence to

Scottish Parliament The Scottish Parliament ( ; ) is the Devolution in the United Kingdom, devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. It is located in the Holyrood, Edinburgh, Holyrood area of Edinburgh, and is frequently referred to by the metonym 'Holyrood'. ...

, calling for a unified approach to the licensing and regulation of sexual entertainment venues. In 2022, Hubbard's book ''Borderland'' was published. The book returned him to his native Kent to consider the way post-

Brexit Brexit (, a portmanteau of "Britain" and "Exit") was the Withdrawal from the European Union, withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU). Brexit officially took place at 23:00 GMT on 31 January 2020 (00:00 1 February ...

anxieties are shaping English coastal communities. His royalty from the book went to the Kent Refugee Action Network. A chapter of this book on asylum seekers and the

English Channel The English Channel, also known as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates Southern England from northern France. It links to the southern part of the North Sea by the Strait of Dover at its northeastern end. It is the busi ...

appeared on the ''Independent'' news website as a 'long read'.There was a time when ‘boat people’ were welcomed to the UK
''The Independent'' (5 May 2022). Accessed: 21 November 2023. In 2024, Hubbard's book ''Listening to Landscape'' will be published by Bloomsbury music, considering how hauntology and electronic music combine to offer unique insights into urban and rural landscapes in post-Brexit Britain.

References

English geographers English sociologists 1969 births Living people Academics of the University of Kent Academics of King's College London {{academic-bio-stub