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Ron Johnston

Professor of Geography, University of Bristol

RON JOHNSTON joined the School in 1995, having previously worked in the Departments of Geography at Monash University (1964-1966) and the Universities of Canterbury (1967-1974) and Sheffield (1972-1992) and as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Essex (1992-1995).

Ron’s academic work has focused on political geography (especially electoral studies), urban geography - much of the work in those two fields involving innovative use of multivariate statistical methods - and the history of human geography.

He has honorary degrees from the University of Essex (DU, 1996), Monash University (LLD, 1999), the University of Sheffield (DLitt, 2002) and the University of Bath (DLItt, 2005). He has twice been honoured by the Royal Geographical Society for his research achievements (Murchison Award, 1985; Victoria Medal, 1990), and the Association of American Geographers (Research Honours, 1991; Lifetime Achievement Award, 2010); he received the Political Studies Association’s Political Communicator of the Year Award in 2011. In 1999 he was elected a Fellow of the British Academy and a Foundation Academician of the Academy of the Learned Societies in the Social Sciences, and was awarded the Prix Vautrin Lud by the Festival Internationale de Géographie. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2011 for services to scholarship.

He was Secretary of the Institute of British Geographers between 1982 and 1985 and its President in 1991. He was a co-editor of two major journals – Progress in Human Geography and Environment and Planning A – between 1979 and 2006 (having previously edited the New Zealand Geographer, 1969-1974) and has edited the British Academy’s annual volume of Biographical Memoirs of Fellows since 2008.

UK election 2019: hundreds of thousands of people could be in the wrong place when it's time to vote

Nov 11, 2019 09:25 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

The UK general election called for December 12 2019 raises important issues regarding who is entitled to vote, who will be able to vote and where they will vote. The electoral roll, which lists everyone eligible to...

It's sophisticated, but can you believe YouGov's startling election prediction?

Jun 02, 2017 11:28 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Polling organisation YouGov has caused a stir with its latest findings, which appear to defy practically everyone elses 2017 general election forecasts. Analysis of its survey data suggested Theresa Mays Conservative...

How UKIP’s decline could provide a major boost for Theresa May

May 22, 2017 12:55 pm UTC| Insights & Views Economy Politics

The British prime minister Theresa May called a snap general election in the expectation that it will deliver her a substantially increased parliamentary majority. This in turn would give her the strong and stable...

Economy

Iran's Stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz: What It Means for Global Markets

U.S. intelligence assessments now confirm that Iran has no intention of loosening its grip on the Strait of Hormuz anytime soon. Tehran views control over this critical oil corridor as its most powerful bargaining chip...

Vietnam GDP Growth Slows in Q1 2026 Amid Middle East Oil Crisis

Vietnams economy posted solid but slower growth in the first quarter of 2026, with GDP expanding 7.83% year-on-year, down from 8.46% in the previous quarter, according to the National Statistics Office. While the figure...

March 2025 Jobs Report: Strong Headline Numbers Hide Deeper Economic Concerns

The U.S. labor market showed resilience in March 2025, with employment growth rebounding sharply after a sluggish February and the unemployment rate dipping unexpectedly to 4.3%. However, beneath the encouraging surface,...

UAE's Largest Natural Gas Facility Suspended After Attack-Triggered Fire

Abu Dhabi authorities have temporarily halted operations at Habshan, the United Arab Emirates largest natural gas processing facility, following a devastating attack that triggered a major fire at the site. The incident...

Trump's FY2027 Budget: Major Defense Boost and Domestic Spending Cuts

President Donald Trump has unveiled a bold federal budget proposal for fiscal year 2027, signaling a dramatic realignment of national spending priorities. The plan centers on a significant expansion of military funding...

Politics

China's Anti-Corruption Purge Reaches New Heights as Politburo Shrinks to 25-Year Low

Chinese President Xi Jinpings sweeping anti-corruption campaign has claimed another senior casualty, with former Xinjiang party secretary Ma Xingrui now under formal investigation for alleged serious violations of party...

U.S. F-15E Shot Down Over Iran: One Crew Member Recovered Amid Escalating Conflict

A United States F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet has been shot down over Iranian territory, marking the first confirmed incident of its kind since the start of the nearly five-week conflict between the U.S., Israel, and...

U.S.-Iran War Escalates: Downed Fighter Jet, Stalled Ceasefire Talks, and Ground Invasion Fears

Tensions between the United States and Iran have reached a dangerous new peak following the downing of a U.S. F-15E fighter jet over Iranian territory the first time Tehran has shot down an American aircraft since the...

Judge Blocks DOJ Subpoenas in Federal Reserve Investigation, Delaying Powell Succession

A federal judge in Washington, D.C. has once again ruled against the Justice Departments efforts to revive a criminal investigation targeting Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, dealing another significant blow to what...

Congo in Talks With Trump Administration to Accept Third-Country Deportees

The Democratic Republic of Congo is reportedly in discussions with the Trump administration about accepting deportees from third countries individuals who are not Congolese nationals but were living in the United States...

Science

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

SpaceX Prioritizes Moon Mission Before Mars as Starship Development Accelerates

Elon Musks SpaceX is shifting its near-term space exploration strategy, choosing to prioritize a return to the Moon before pursuing missions to Mars, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report citing sources familiar...

Technology

OpenAI Executive Shake-Up Ahead of Anticipated 2026 IPO

OpenAI is navigating a significant leadership restructuring at one of the most pivotal moments in its history. The AI powerhouse confirmed that Chief Operating Officer Brad Lightcap is transitioning into a newly created...

Elon Musk Ties SpaceX IPO Access to Mandatory Grok AI Subscriptions

Elon Musk is reportedly making Grok subscriptions a prerequisite for banks and advisers involved in SpaceXs highly anticipated initial public offering. According to the New York Times, citing insiders familiar with the...

MATCH Act Targets ASML and Chinese Chipmakers in New U.S. Export Crackdown

A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers has unveiled the MATCH Act, a landmark piece of draft legislation designed to tighten export restrictions on advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment destined for China. The...

Microsoft's $10 Billion Japan Investment: AI Infrastructure and Data Sovereignty Push

Microsoft is set to pour approximately $10 billion into Japan between now and 2029, channeling funds into data center expansion and artificial intelligence infrastructure to meet the countrys growing demand for data...

Australia's Social Media Ban for Under-16s Sparks Global Movement

Australias landmark social media ban for users under 16, which took effect in December, is reshaping digital policy conversations worldwide. Countries including Spain and Malaysia have signaled interest in adopting similar...