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All Outputs (174)

Town-gown engagement can be chaotic but universities should be local civic leaders (2018)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2018). Town-gown engagement can be chaotic but universities should be local civic leaders. Local Government Chronicle, 19-19

This short article for a professional and practice audience examines the impact of universities on the localities where they are located. Evidence from the author's experience in the USA suggests that British universities could be doing much more to... Read More about Town-gown engagement can be chaotic but universities should be local civic leaders.

Let's ban the lazy language of 'best practice'. An exploration of how to enhance the effectiveness of international city-to-city learning (2018)
Presentation / Conference
Hambleton, R. (2018, June). Let's ban the lazy language of 'best practice'. An exploration of how to enhance the effectiveness of international city-to-city learning. Paper presented at Reconciling past and future urban and regional strengths. Annual Conference of the European Urban Research Association (EURA), Tilburg, The Netherlands

This paper sets out five reasons why there is no such thing as ‘best practice’ when it comes to international city-to-city learning and dialogue. The paper then widens the conversation to consider the nature of international exchange and distinguish... Read More about Let's ban the lazy language of 'best practice'. An exploration of how to enhance the effectiveness of international city-to-city learning.

OK we didn't win the World Cup but Gareth Southgate offers solutions for local leadership (2018)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2018). OK we didn't win the World Cup but Gareth Southgate offers solutions for local leadership. Local Government Chronicle, 20-20

This short article for a professional and practice audience draws lessons for local leaders from Gareth Southgate's enormously successful leadership of the English national football team. Sports management is, of course, rather different from place-... Read More about OK we didn't win the World Cup but Gareth Southgate offers solutions for local leadership.

British universities - the sleeping giants of place-based leadership? (2018)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2018). British universities - the sleeping giants of place-based leadership?. People, Place and Policy, 11(4), https://doi.org/10.3351/ppp.2018.4889247933

This Alternatives paper explores the changing dynamics of town/gown relationships in modern Britain. It argues that there are major opportunities for improving collaboration between universities and ‘off campus’ actors, opportunities that could bene... Read More about British universities - the sleeping giants of place-based leadership?.

Place-based leadership and radical public innovation: Lessons from mayoral governance experimentation in Bristol, UK (2018)
Presentation / Conference
Hambleton, R., & sweeting, D. (2018, April). Place-based leadership and radical public innovation: Lessons from mayoral governance experimentation in Bristol, UK. Paper presented at International Research Society for Public Management, Edinburgh, Scotland

This paper explores two related questions: 1) Does the institutional design of the governance arrangements of a city make a difference to the performance of place-based leadership? And 2) Does the leadership style of the individual exercising mayoral... Read More about Place-based leadership and radical public innovation: Lessons from mayoral governance experimentation in Bristol, UK.

How US local government resists Trump (2017)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2017). How US local government resists Trump. Local Government Chronicle,

This short article argues that, at a time when national politics is being disfigured by angry populism, learning from progressive US cities can be inspirational. It explains how two counties in California took President Trump to court over his attem... Read More about How US local government resists Trump.

Inclusive city governance: International lesson drawing from progressive urban leadership (2017)
Presentation / Conference
Hambleton, R. (2017, September). Inclusive city governance: International lesson drawing from progressive urban leadership. Paper presented at DSA2017: Sustainability Interrogated: Societies, growth and social justice, Bradford, UK

This paper outlines concepts that may be able to help us better understand the power of place in our globalising world. More specifically, it aims to show how good place-based leadership can promote inclusive urban development in both developed and... Read More about Inclusive city governance: International lesson drawing from progressive urban leadership.

The rise of the city region - exploring alternative models of sub-national governance (2017)
Presentation / Conference
Hambleton, R. (2017, June). The rise of the city region - exploring alternative models of sub-national governance. Paper presented at European Urban Research Association, Warsaw, Poland

In recent years a growing number of countries have embarked on reforms designed to strengthen the arrangements that they have in place for city region, or metropolitan, governance. This paper, which draws on a recent research project carried out for... Read More about The rise of the city region - exploring alternative models of sub-national governance.

Uniting public purpose in a city: Insights from progressive urban leadership in Bristol, UK (2017)
Presentation / Conference
Hambleton, R. (2017, April). Uniting public purpose in a city: Insights from progressive urban leadership in Bristol, UK. Paper presented at Urban Affairs Association Annual Conference, Minneapolis, USA

The new, directly elected mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees, has set out a vision for a new kind of civic leadership for a progressive city. Launched at a citywide event, in September 2016, Mayor Rees’s ‘City Office’ concept brings together most of the... Read More about Uniting public purpose in a city: Insights from progressive urban leadership in Bristol, UK.

Innovation in progressive urban leadership: Why bringing 'place' to the centre of public leadership studies is vital in our globalising world (2017)
Presentation / Conference
Hambleton, R. (2017, April). Innovation in progressive urban leadership: Why bringing 'place' to the centre of public leadership studies is vital in our globalising world. Paper presented at Leadership for Public and Social Value, 2nd International Public and Political Leadership Conference, Milton Keynes, England

The new, directly elected mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees, has set out a vision for a new kind of civic leadership for a progressive city. Launched at a citywide event, in September 2016, Mayor Rees’s ‘City Office’ concept brings together most of the... Read More about Innovation in progressive urban leadership: Why bringing 'place' to the centre of public leadership studies is vital in our globalising world.

Mayoral governance in Bristol: Has it made a difference? (2017)
Book Chapter
Sweeting, D., & Hambleton, R. (2017). Mayoral governance in Bristol: Has it made a difference?. In D. Sweeting (Ed.), Directly Elected Mayors in Urban Governance: Impact and practice (19-34). Bristol, UK: Policy Press

This chapter provides an assessment of the impact of introducing a mayoral model of governance into the City of Bristol, UK in 2012. It situates the Bristol reform in context, introduces a conceptual framework for understanding urban leadership and... Read More about Mayoral governance in Bristol: Has it made a difference?.

Directly elected mayors: A route to progressive urban leadership? (2017)
Book Chapter
Hambleton, R. (2017). Directly elected mayors: A route to progressive urban leadership?. In D. Sweeting (Ed.), Directly Elected Mayors in Urban Governance: Impact and Practice (243-263). Bristol, UK: Policy Press

This chapter explores whether the directly elected mayor model of governance can contribute to progressive policy making, meaning actively implementing policies and practices designed to move away from exploitation of people and the planet. A concep... Read More about Directly elected mayors: A route to progressive urban leadership?.

The super-centralisation of the English state – Why we need to move beyond the devolution deception (2016)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2017). The super-centralisation of the English state – Why we need to move beyond the devolution deception. Local Economy, 32(1), 3-13. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269094216686296

© 2016, © The Author(s) 2016. In a stream of high-profile announcements, the UK central government has said that it wants to devolve power to sub-regions within England – to city regions and across the country. This article presents evidence to show... Read More about The super-centralisation of the English state – Why we need to move beyond the devolution deception.

Place-based leadership (2016)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2016). Place-based leadership

This short article comments on the interim report of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) 'Inclusive Growth Commission'. It offers two suggestions on how to improve devolution policy in England. First, public policy makers should attempt to 'see like a... Read More about Place-based leadership.

Pulling their weight (2016)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2016). Pulling their weight

This Opinion piece argues that universities can become for more active in the communities where they are located. The article welcomes the efforts of the nine English universities involved in six pilot 'Leading Places' initiatives. It notes that U... Read More about Pulling their weight.

English devolution - time for a radical rethink (2016)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2016). English devolution - time for a radical rethink. Town and Country Planning -London- Town and Country Planning Association-, 85, 350-352

This article provides a robust critique of the UK central government's approach to devolution in England, arguing that the policy is incoherent, divisive, competitive and short-sighted. Public consultation has been minimal and many 'devolution deals... Read More about English devolution - time for a radical rethink.