John Rennie Short is an expert on urban issues, environmental concerns, globalization, political geography and the history of cartography. He has studied cities around the world, and lectured to a variety of audiences. Recent books include Urban Theory (2015, 2nd ed.), Human Geography: A Short Introduction (2014), Stress Testing The USA (2013), Cities and Nature (2013, 2nd ed.) and Globalization, Modernity and The City (2012).
Before coming to UMBC in 2002, he was a Professor in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. From 1978 to 1990 he taught at the University of Reading UK. He has held visiting appointments as Senior Research Fellow at the Australian National University, as the Erasmus Professor at Groningen University and as the Leverhulme Professor at Loughborough University. Among his research fellowships are the Vietor Fellowship to the Beinecke Library at Yale University, the Dibner Fellowship at the Smithsonian, the Kono Fellowship at the Huntington Library and the Andrew Mellon Fellowship at the American Philosophical Society.
The 'legitimation' crisis in the US: Why have Americans lost trust in government?
Oct 21, 2016 18:20 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics
Elections normally decide who is to govern. This upcoming election is about the very legitimacy of the system. At the final presidential debate, Republican candidate Donald Trump made the remarkable statement that he...
Why is the U.S. unwilling to pay for good public transportation?
Apr 01, 2016 16:00 pm UTC| Insights & Views
Officials in Washington, D.C. said this week they may have to shut down portions of the Metro subway system for months because its piecemeal approach to maintenance is no longer sufficient. The disclosure follows a...
There’s an extra $1 billion on the table for NT schools. This could change lives if spent well
Political donations rules are finally in the spotlight – here’s what the government should do