Dr Astrid Wood is an Assistant Professor in the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology at Newcastle University.

Astrid is an urban geographer concentrating on governance and the built environment. Her research expertise includes comparative urbanism, critical urban theory, development, the Global South, governance, inclusive cities, mobilities, policy mobilities, postcolonial studies, South(ern) Africa, sustainability, transport and urban studies.

Astrid specializes in cities of the global south and their mechanisms for circulating urban policy. Her research considers how and why cities are increasingly constituted through relational connections with distantiated sites by focusing on the range of engagements taking place in order to localize a particular case of best practice. This research draws on her experience working with South African cities to develop new mechanisms for cooperation by circulating information, knowledge and best practice for urban planning and municipal governance. Astrid has published research papers in Antipode, Environment and Planning A, International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Public Culture, Urban Forum and Urban Geography.

Over the past 15 years, Astrid has been involved in studying and shaping the urban form of cities in Addis Ababa, Albacete, Ankara, Barcelona, Belgrade, Boston, Cape Town, Chicago, Dar es Salaam, Edinburgh, Erode, eThekwini, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Johannesburg, Kampala, London, Madras, Madrid, Nairobi, New Orleans, New York City, Paris, Sarajevo, Shenzhen, Tshwane and Washington DC.

Astrid holds a PhD in Geography from University College London (UCL), a Master of City Planning and a certificate in Urban Design, City Design and Development from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a Bachelor of Arts from Hampshire College. Previously, she held posts at Cardiff University, Royal Holloway University of London (RHUL), University College London (UCL) and London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).