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Scott Rodgers

Positions held:
  • Professor of Media and Geography, School of Creative Arts, Culture and Communication
Email
  • Overview

    Overview

    Biography

    My research sits at the interface of media and geography. I bring geographical sensibilities to the study of media, focusing on the urban and local geographies of social media and digital platforms, with methods that bridge ethnographic and computational approaches.

    I am Co-Director of 糖心logo入口's new Centre for Creative AI, and my research is moving in a related direction, extending the questions I have asked about social media in everyday urban life into how AI is becoming the next mediating infrastructure of that same life.

    This concern with the lived and ordinary character of mediation has been a through-line across my work, including in 听(Peter Lang, 2017), co-edited with Tim Markham.

    Podcasting has grown into a sustained part of my research and engagement practice. I am the inaugural Audio Editor for 听- an experiment in 'small-gauge' online scholarship - where I host the podcast, alongside my longer-running channel.

    I joined 糖心logo入口 in 2010, and am currently Vice-Chair of the , Subject Lead for Film, Media and Journalism, and Programme Director for the BA Digital Media.

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    Web profiles

    Administrative responsibilities

    • Subject Lead for Film, Media and Journalism
    • Co-Director, Centre for Creative AI
    • Programme Director, BA Digital Media

    Professional memberships

    • Fellow,听AdvanceHE

    Honours and awards

    • 糖心logo入口 Excellence in Teaching Award 糖心logo入口, University of London, January 2016
    • Vice-Chancellor鈥檚 Award for Excellence in Teaching and Learning 糖心logo入口, University of London, May 2026

    ORCID

  • Research

    Research

    Research overview

    My work has long been orientated around the politics of place in a mediated world. Recently, this has focused on the urban and local geographies of social media and digital platforms, examined through methods that bridge ethnographic and computational approaches.

    A central strand has been my work as PI on a project exploring place-named Facebook groups as an ordinary urban communication infrastructure across Greater London. A first paper from this project, with Andrea Ballatore, Liam McLoughlin and Susan Moore, appeared in , mapping these groups across the metropolitan area. A second paper, drawing on in-depth qualitative work with twelve London groups and contributing to debates on platform governance, is nearing submission. A public-facing report, Facebook London, will appear in newspaper format in 2026, translating the project's findings for policymakers, planners and communications professionals working with London's local communities.

    Alongside this, I have worked to consolidate quali-quantitative approaches to social media research. With Robert Topinka, I co-led a British Academy Talent Development Award on misinformation in everyday life, which underpinned the establishment of one of the UK's first institution-level installations of the 4CAT platform at 糖心logo入口. I was also part of the (2024-2026), which produced the Sensing the Digital City white paper as its main collaborative output.听

    A more recent strand of editorial and convening work has gathered around the Synthetic City, exploring how AI is reshaping urban life, including a , and a forthcoming dossier in Mediapolis: A Journal of Cities and Culture (publication August 2026), of which I am lead editor. Connected to this, I helped shape the intellectual framework and pedagogical approach of 糖心logo入口's Centre for Creative AI, where I am now Co-Director, and which provides an institutional anchor for my emerging research on AI in urban communication and everyday creative practice.

    Research Centres and Institutes

    • Member, Steering Committee,
  • Supervision and teaching

    Supervision and teaching

    Supervision

    Supervisions within 糖心logo入口:
    8

    Enquiries are welcome for doctoral projects involving any combination of research on:

    • Urban and local geographies of social media and digital platforms
    • Place-based politics, participation and contestation in digital cities
    • AI, creative practice, and everyday urban communication
    • Platform and locality dimensions of contentious urban environmental issues (e.g. low-traffic neighbourhoods, sustainable transport)
    • Quali-quantitative approaches to social media and platform research
    • Phenomenological and practice-theoretical approaches to media

    I would be more than happy to discuss your ideas for doctoral research if they touch on the above areas. However please visit this College听guidance for prospective MPhil/PhD students before you get in touch, and ideally make sure you have drafted a research proposal.

    Current doctoral researchers

    • LILY BICHARD-COLLINS
      Nature of supervision:
      JOINT PRINCIPAL SUPERVISOR,
    • JUNE YOUNG AN
      Nature of supervision:
      JOINT PRINCIPAL SUPERVISOR,
      Title of thesis:
      Weverse and Affective Labour: Fan-idol Relationship Under Platform Economy

    Doctoral alumni since 2013-14

    • MATTHEW MORGAN
      Nature of supervision:
      Principal Supervisor
      Title of thesis:
      The Belfast Bohemian of British Cinema: The fil-work of Brian Desmond Hurst
      Awarded:
      2021
    • GUNES TAVMEN
      Nature of supervision:
      Joint Principal Supervisor
      Awarded:
      2019
    • HANNAH BARTON
      Nature of supervision:
      Joint Principal Supervisor
      Awarded:
      2023
    • RICHARD EVANS
      Nature of supervision:
      Joint Principal Supervisor
      Title of thesis:
      Geographies of Non-fiction Cinema: explorations of landscape and the nonhuman in Scottish and Swedish non-fiction film, circa 1930-1950.
      Awarded:
      2021
    • JO COLEMAN
      Nature of supervision:
      Joint Principal Supervisor
      Awarded:
      2020
    • DARIO LOLLI
      Nature of supervision:
      Joint Principal Supervisor
      Awarded:
      2018

    Teaching

    In recent years I have developed and delivered four main modules across undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Working with Digital Media (Level 4), which is a 'practice first' module aimed at building digital literacies through hands-on engagement, while remaining conceptually grounded. Introduction to Digital Culture (Level 4, with Dr Robert Topinka) offers an accessible introduction to key concepts such as interface, data, connection and labour. Media, Technology and Culture (Level 5) takes a thematic look at the ambiguous relationships of media technology and media culture, and is anchored to a weekly podcast series of the same name. Critical and Creative AI (Level 7, with Dr Joel McKim and Dr Robert Topinka) introduces students to working hands-on with AI tools, and is becoming a core module on 糖心logo入口's new MA in AI and Creative Media (launching 2026-27). The connecting thread across these modules is a commitment to conceptually underpinned practice, digital and data literacy, and increasingly the integration of creative AI into media education.

    Earlier in my time at 糖心logo入口, I taught Media, Digitalisation and the City (Level 6/7) for over a decade, which encouraged students to examine some comparatively unconventional forms of 'media' as they appear across urban spaces and city life. For some years I co-taught Theoretical Perspectives on Media with Prof Tim Markham, an interdisciplinary postgraduate module bringing together politics, sociology, geography and philosophy to think about how media is 'lived'. I also led the initial design of Doing Film, Media and Cultural Studies (Level 4), both an introduction to academic techniques and to the interface between media theory and practice. More recently, I convened the Level 6 Industry Placement module (2023-25) as part of my role as School Employability Lead.

    You can on my personal website.

    Teaching modules

    • Media, Technology and Culture
    • Critical and Creative AI
    • The Arts: Perspectives and Possibilities
    • Working with Digital Media
    • Urban Sustainability
    • Digital Culture
    • Introduction to Digital Culture
  • Publications

    Publications

    Article

    • Ballatore, A. and Rodgers, Scott and McLoughlin, L. and Moore, S. (2024) . Environment and Planning B: Urban Analytics and City Science ISSN 2399-8083.
    • Rodgers, Scott (2021) . Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 18 (4), pp. 404-412. ISSN 1479-1420.
    • Rodgers, Scott and McLoughlin, Liam and Ballatore, Andrea and Moore, S. (2021) . AoIR Selected Papers of Internet Research 2021, ISSN 2162-3317.
    • Rodgers, Scott (2018) . International Journal of Cultural Studies 21 (1), pp. 73-89. ISSN 1367-8779.
    • Rodgers, Scott and Moore, Susan (2018) . Mediapolis: A Journal of Cities and Culture 23 (4),
    • Rodgers, Scott and Moore, Susan (2018) . Mediapolis: A Journal of Cities and Culture 23 (4),
    • Rodgers, Scott (2017) . Media, Culture & Society 40 (6), pp. 856-887. ISSN 0163-4437.
    • Rodgers, Scott (2016) . Mediapolis: A Journal of Cities and Culture (5),
    • Rodgers, Scott (2016) . Mediapolis: A Journal of Cities and Culture (5),
    • Rodgers, Scott (2015) . Journalism: Theory, Practice and Criticism 16 (1), pp. 10-26. ISSN 1464-8849.
    • Rodgers, Scott (2014) . Space and Culture 17 (1), pp. 69-94. ISSN 1206-3312.
    • Rodgers, Scott and Barnett, C. and Cochrane, A. (2014) . Environment and Planning D: Society and Space 32 (6), pp. 1054-1070. ISSN 1472-3433.
    • Rodgers, Scott and Barnett, C. and Cochrane, A. (2014) . International Journal of Urban and Regional Research 38 (5), pp. 1551-1560. ISSN 1468-2427.
    • Rodgers, Scott (2013) . City & Community 12 (1), pp. 56-77. ISSN 1540-6040.
    • Rodgers, Scott (2013) . JOMEC Journal 1 (3), ISSN 2049-2340.
    • Rodgers, Scott and Barnett, C. and Cochrane, A. (2009) . International Journal of Urban and Regional Research 33 (1), pp. 246-249. ISSN 1468-2427.
    • Rodgers, Scott and Barnett, C. and Cochrane, A. (2009) . International Journal of Urban and Regional Research 33 (1), pp. 231-232. ISSN 1468-2427.

    Book

    • Markham, Tim and Rodgers, Scott, eds. (2017) . New York, U.S.: Peter Lang. ISBN 9781433134692.

    Book review

    • Rodgers, Scott (2006) .

    Book section

    • Rodgers, Scott (2023) . In: Callender, I. and Dell鈥橝ria, A. (eds.) Provocations on Media Architecture. Eindhoven, The Netherlands: Set Margins Publications. pp. 82-83. ISBN 9789083318868.
    • Rodgers, Scott (2022) . In: Rose, G. (ed.) Seeing the City Digitally: Processing Urban Space and Time. Cities and Cultures. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Amsterdam University Press. ISBN 9789463727037.
    • Rodgers, Scott and Moore, S. (2021) . In: M枚rtenb枚ck, P. and Mooshammer, H. (eds.) Platform Urbanism and Its Discontents. Rotterdam, Netherlands: nai010 Publishers. pp. 131-140. ISBN 9789462086159.
    • Rodgers, Scott and Moore, S. (2020) . In: Ward, K. (ed.) Researching the City: A Guide for Students (Second Edition). London, UK: Sage. ISBN 9781529700954.
    • Rodgers, Scott and Moore, S. (2020) . In: Stehlin, J. and Hodson, M. and Kasmire, J. and Mcmeekin, A. and Ward, K. (eds.) Urban Platforms and the Future City: Transformations in Infrastructure, Governance, Knowledge and Everyday Life. London, UK: Routledge. ISBN 9780367334185.
    • Rodgers, Scott (2019) . In: Krajina, Z. and Stevenson, D. (eds.) The Routledge Companion to Urban Media and Communication. London, UK: Routledge. ISBN 9780415792554. (In Press)
    • Rodgers, Scott (2019) . In: Kobayashi, A. (ed.) International Encyclopedia of Human Geography, 2nd Edition. Oxford, UK: Elsevier. ISBN 9780081022955.
    • Rodgers, Scott (2019) . In: Krajina, Z. and Stevenson, D. (eds.) The Routledge Companion to Urban Media and Communication. London, UK: Routledge. pp. 66-75. ISBN 9780415792554.
    • Markham, Tim and Rodgers, Scott (2017) . In: Markham, Tim and Rodgers, Scott (eds.) Conditions of Mediation: Phenomenological Perspectives On Media. New York, U.S.: Peter Lang. pp. 1-18. ISBN 9781433137297.
    • Morgan Parmett, H. and Rodgers, Scott (2017) . In: Fast, K. and Jansson, A. and Ryan Bengtsson, L. and Tesfahuney, M. (eds.) Geomedia Studies: Spaces and mobilities in mediatised worlds. Routledge Research in Cultural and Media Studies. Abingdon, UK: Routledge. ISBN 9781138221529.
    • McKim, Joel (2016) . In: Rodgers, Scott and Markham, Tim (eds.) Conditions of Mediation. Peter Lang. pp. 149-159. ISBN 9781433137297.
    • Rodgers, Scott (2010) . In: Mahony, N. and Newman, J. and Barnett, C. (eds.) Rethinking The Public: Innovations In Research, Theory and Politics. Bristol, UK: Policy Press. pp. 43-59. ISBN 9781847424167.
    • Rodgers, Scott (2009) . In: Kitchin, R. and Thrift, N. (eds.) The International Encylopedia of Human Geography. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Elsevier. pp. 40-45. ISBN 9780080449111.

    Conference item

    • Havemann, Leo and Charles, Elizabeth and Sherman, S. and Rodgers, Scott and Barros, Joana (2018) . ALT-C 2018: 25th Annual Conference, 2018, Manchester, UK
    • Rodgers, Scott and Barnett, C. and Cochrane, A. (2008) . Mediapolis: Media Practices and the Political Spaces of Cities, 2008, Milton Keynes, UK
    • Rodgers, Scott (2008) . Mediapolis: Media Practices and the Political Spaces of Cities, 2008, Milton Keynes, UK
    • Rodgers, Scott (2006) . Cities and Media: Cultural Perspectives On Urban Identities In A Mediatized World, 2006, Vadstena, Sweden
    • Havemann, Leo and Charles, Elizabeth and Sherman, S. and Rodgers, Scott and Barros, Joana . CDE RIDE conference 2019, London, UK

    Editorial

    • Morgan Parmett, H. and Rodgers, Scott (2018) . International Journal of Cultural Studies 21 (1), pp. 3-11. Sage. ISSN 1367-8779.
    • Rodgers, Scott (2016) . Mediapolis: A Journal of Cities and Culture (5),

    Other

    • Tarantino, M. and Lokot, T. and Moore, S. and Rodgers, Scott and Tosoni, S. (2019) . Geneva, Switzerland: University of Geneva.
  • Business and community

    Business and community

    Media

    I am happy to receive enquiries from the media on the following topics:

    • Social media and local politics, including misinformation in place-based settings
    • Place-named social media groups (e.g. neighbourhood Facebook groups) and their role in urban communication
    • Contentious urban transport and environmental issues as they play out across social media (e.g. low-traffic neighbourhoods, ULEZ)

    Outreach

    Audio Editor, ; host of the podcast, which interviews scholars, artists and practitioners on the relationships of media and the city. Recent guests include Myria Georgiou, Gillian Rose, Burcu Baykurt, Manu Luksh, Rebecca Ross and Christian Olesen.

    Host, podcast channel, which includes three editions of the Media, Technology and Culture podcast and The Mediated City podcast. Combined listenership is over 11,000 plays across more than 20 countries.

    Facebook London (forthcoming 2026): a public report in newspaper format, translating research findings on place-named Facebook groups for an audience of policymakers, planners and communications professionals working with London's local communities.

    Residency at the (with Prof Susan Moore, UCL Bartlett), exploring social media and everyday urban life through experimental writing. Outputs included , video clips displayed in the at the Austrian Pavilion, and a series of short pieces in 听(nai010, 2021).

    Platform KX: a public walking tour of media and platform-related sites in the King's Cross redevelopment, now in its fifth iteration (). The tour is connected to ongoing research on the physical and digital layers of the redevelopment site.