Prof John Mawson, BSc, MPhil, MRTPI

(email at john.mawson@durham.ac.uk)

Biography

John Mawson is Director of the Institute for Local Governance which is a North East research and knowledge transfer partnership between the region’s 5 Universities, 12 Unitary Councils and other key public bodies including ONE North East, the Strategic Health, Police and Fire Authorities. He has a multidisciplinary professional and academic background having worked as a town planner for Strathclyde Regional Council and subsequently as Director of Economic Development at West Midlands County Council and Chief Executive of the West Midlands Enterprise Board, a local authority controlled venture capital institution.

In the academic world John served as Director of the Public Service MBA programmes at Birmingham University and went on to hold Chairs in Town and Regional Planning at Dundee University, and Public Policy and Management at Aston Business School. Prior to joining Durham Business School he was Director of the Local Government Centre at Warwick Business School. During his career John has raised over £3 million in research income from Research Councils, charitable foundations and central and local government consultancy and has published several books and over a hundred journal articles and official research publications.

Reflecting his experience at the research practice interface, John has served as Special Advisor to the House of Commons Environment Committee and Chaired the Local Authority Research Council Initiative (LARCI) His consultancy work has included leading the successful London wide bid to establish the London Development Agency, and leading two national evaluations of Regional Development Agencies. He was a member of the Cabinet Office Team which prepared central government’s decentralisation strategy: Reaching Out. John has held Board positions in several private-public sector partnerships and community initiatives including serving as a Director of the West Midlands Technology Transfer Centre, Warwick Science Park, and was founding Chair of Social Enterprise West Midlands. Reflecting these latter interests he is a member of the advisory board of the ESRC’s Third Sector Research Centre and is also a member of the Academy of Social Sciences, Royal Geographical Society, the Regional Studies Association, the Royal Town Planning Institute and the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives.

Research Interests

• Local and regional governance
• The management of cities and regions
• Local and regional economic development
• Research and knowledge transfer in cities and regions
• Social enterprise, neighbourhood management and community engagement in public policy

Research Groups

• Business and Management
• Institute for Local Governance
• Leadership and Followership

Selected Publications

Books: authored

• Mawson, J. & Tomaney, J. (2002). England: The State of the Regions. Bristol: Policy Press.

Journal papers: academic

• Laffin, M., Mawson, J. & Ormston, C. (2013). Public Services in a “Post-Democratic Age” An Alternative Framework to Network Governance. Environment and Planning C Forthcoming.
• Wilson, R., Cornford, J., Baines S. & Mawson, J. (2011). New development: Information for Localism? Policy Sense-making for Local Governance. Public Money and Management 31(4): 295-299.
• Mawson, J. (2010). Social Enterprise, Strategic Networks and Regional Development. International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy 30(1/2): 66-83.
• Mawson, J. & Pearce, G. (2009). Governance in the English Regions: moving beyond muddling through?. International Journal of Public Sector Management 22(7): 623-641.
• Mawson, J. (2009). Local Government Economic Development and the Sub National Review Old Wine in New Bottles?. Local Government Studies 35(1): 39-59.
• Mawson, J., Pearce, G. & Ayres, S. (2008). Regional Governance in England: A Changing Role for the Government's Regional Offices?. Public Administration 86(2): 443-463.
• Mawson, J. (2007). Regional Governance in England: Past Experience, Future Direction?. International Journal of Public Sector Management 20(6): 548-558.
• Mawson, J. (2007). Research Councils, Universities and Local Government – Building Bridges?. Public Money and Management 27(4): 265-273.
• Mawson, J. & Pearce, G. (2003). Delivering devolved approaches to local governance. Policy and Politics 31(1): 51-67.
• Mawson, J. & Jeffrey C. (2002). Beyond the White Paper on the English Regions. Regional Studies: Special Issue Devolution and the English Question 36(7): 715-720.

Show all publications

Supervises

• Mr Thomas Kehoe

Media Contacts

Available for media contact about:

• Regional Economy: Local and regional governance; the management of cities and regions; local and regional economic development; research and knowledge transfer in cities and regions; social enterprise, neighbourhood management and community engagement in public policy.
• Social Policy: Employment & development issues: Local and regional governance; the management of cities and regions; local and regional economic development; research and knowledge transfer in cities and regions; social enterprise, neighbourhood management and community engagement in public policy.
• Regional politics: Local and regional governance; the management of cities and regions; local and regional economic development; research and knowledge transfer in cities and regions; social enterprise, neighbourhood management and community engagement in public policy.