The Society has 32 Research and Working Groups, which bring together active researchers and those with a professional interest in a particular aspect of geography and related disciplines. Their primary remit is to support and promote their area of geography through support for academic research and teaching, but their work also extends into education, public policy and research, government and enterprise.
Research Groups meet at the Annual Conference where they also hold their Annual General Meetings (AGMs). Among their other activities, the Research and Working Groups organise events; offer undergraduate and postgraduate dissertation prizes; and provide support and funding for postgraduates active in their area of the discipline. Joining a research group enables you to network with colleagues with similar research interests, keep up to date with the latest research in your specialised field, and receive information on conferences, workshops, and funding opportunities.
You may also be interested in the Society's Professional Practice Groups, including the Disaster Risk Management Professional Practice Group, and active networks on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Geography (please join the jiscmail list - EDIGEOGRAPHY@jiscmail.ac.uk); Wellbeing (GEOGRAPHYANDWELLBEING@JISCMAIL.AC.UK); and Geographies with/of Disabilities (sign up to the mailing list here)
See below under Other networks for more information.
How to join a Research or Working Group
For RGS-IBG members, please inform the Society of which Research Groups you wish to join, using the form below.* Your membership records will be updated and your contact details passed on to the relevant groups. Download, fill out, and return this form.
For non-RGS-IBG members, contact the Chair/Membership Officer of the Research Group you are interested in and request to become a member. Contact details can be found on the Research Group websites listed below.
Joining a Research Group is usually free for RGS-IBG Fellows and members, but some Groups make additional charges for specific services, such as distribution of newsletters.
*the British Society for Geomorphology (BSG) maintain their own membership records and so cannot be joined through your RGS-IBG membership. More information about BSG membership is available here.
Current RGS-IBG Research and Working Groups
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Animal Geography Working Group (AGWG)
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British Society for Geomorphology (BSG) (please note that BSG maintain their own membership records)
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Carceral Geography Working Group (CGWG)
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Climate Change Research Group (CCRG)
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Coastal and Marine Research Group (CMRG)
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Development Geographies Research Group (DevGRG)
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Digital Geographies Research Group (DGRG)
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Economic Geography Research Group (EGRG)
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Energy Geographies Research Group (EnGRG)
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Food Geographies Research Group (FGRG)
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Gender and Feminist Geographies Research Group (GFGRG)
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Geographical Information Science Research Group (GIScRG)
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Geographies of Children, Youth and Families Research Group (GCYFRG)
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Geographies of Health and Wellbeing Research Group (GHWRG)
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Geographies of Leisure and Tourism Research Group (GLTRG)
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Geography and Education Research Group (GeogEd)
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Historical Geography Research Group (HGRG)
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History and Philosophy of Geography Research Group (HPGRG)
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Latin American Geographies Research Group (LAGRG)
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Participatory Geographies Research Group (PyGyRG)
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Planning and Environment Research Group (PERG)
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Political Geography Research Group (PolGRG)
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Population Geography Research Group (PopGRG)
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Postgraduate Forum (PGF)
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Quantitative Methods Research Group (QMRG)
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Race, Culture and Equality Working Group (RACE)
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Radical Geography Research Group
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Rural Geography Research Group (RGRG)
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Social and Cultural Geography Research Group (SCGRG)
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Space Sexualities and Queer Research Group (SSQRG)
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Transport Geography Research Group (TGRG)
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Urban Geography Research Group (UGRG)
Other networks
We also support other emerging networks focusing on key issues within geography.