Prof Rhys Jones

Rhys Jones FLSW FAcSS is a Professor of Human Geography and former Head of Department of Geography and Earth Sciences at Aberystwyth University. His research interests focus on a range of interrelated themes linked to political geography:

1. the geography of group identities focusing in particular on the geography of Welsh nationalism and the way in which this is shaped by place- and community- based practices, language, as well as the practices of young people;

2. the geography of the state, where he specialises on the territoriality of the state, its peopled character. He is also an expert on devolution in the UK, particularly in relation to Wales;

3. the use made of behavioural insights in public policy in a range of different countries. His work in this area has examined the practical challenges associated with developing behaviourally-informed interventions, as well as the more ethical issues arising from their deployment.

He has published widely on these themes, including eleven books and over eighty articles and book chapters. His work has been supported by research grants from the ESRC, the AHRC, the Leverhulme Trust, Horizon 2020, INTERREG and the Welsh Government.

His current research projects focus on: ideas of territorial cohesion and spatial justice in the EU (Horizon 2020); the geographies of regional movements in the EU (ESRC); heritage tourism, identity and mobility between Ireland and Wales (INTERREG).

He is a Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales and a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. He is also a Board member of Natural Resources Wales.