About Us
What is MISST?
The Manchester Institute of Social and Spatial Transformations (MISST) is an interdisciplinary research institute comprised of over 30 researchers from Cultural Studies, Economics, Human Geography, Law and Sociology. MISST was originally established as The Institute of Culture, Gender and the City (ICGC) in 2003 as part of the University's restructuring of research into 10 specialist research institutes. The Institute was renamed and restructured as MISST in 2007 to more accurately reflect the research being undertaken by its members.
MISST is committed to the production and circulation of knowledge that shapes contemporary thinking about transformations in society and space. Our approach is to inform policy with relevant research that builds on the best examples of existing practice to support desirable social and spatial transformations.
We combine academic rigour with a critical and reflexive approach to research. The purpose of this is to produce knowledge that generates creative tensions between the academics, policy makers, practitioners and other communities whose actions ultimately transform society and space. MISST also helps these communities critically reflect on how their own past actions have shaped society and space through a listening and learning process. This enhances understanding of the effectiveness of past actions as well as future possibilities.
These core objectives have been developed through and across three key research clusters - urban transformations, body transformations and global transformations - which direct conferences, seminars and workshops.