Dr. Derek Gregory

Biography

Derek Gregory is the Peter Wall Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of British Columbia, specializing in Geography. His research explores interconnected themes in the context of spatial modalities of late modern warfare, military violence, occupation, and peace, with a focus on the Middle East, specifically Iraq and Israel/Palestine, while also considering Afghanistan/Pakistan and East Africa. He investigates the geography of global war and the production of spaces that make warfare both possible and permissible, often delving into counter-geographies through various forms of art, drama, and literature. Gregory also examines the cultural and political geographies of bombing in Europe and its effects on colonial populations during significant conflicts, including World War I, Korea, Cambodia, Vietnam, and the Gulf War. His scholarship engages critically with concepts from cultural and political theory and philosophy, referencing influential thinkers such as Agamben, Butler, and Foucault, as well as connections to the visual arts and literary studies. He has been honored as a Fellow of the British Academy and the Royal Society of Canada, as well as receiving honorary doctorates from Heidelberg and Roskilde Universities.

Research Interests