Professor Anna Barford

Churchill College
  • Research Professor
  • By Fellow of Churchill College
  • Co-Director of the Business Fights Poverty Institute
Professor Anna Barford

Contact

Location

  • Language Technology Lab
  • 9 West Road, Cambridge, CB3 9DP

About

At the intersection of the economy, society and policy, a major theme of Anna’s research is work and employment, in relation to sustainability, climate change and corporate responsibility. Anna’s newest project focuses on the potential of Natural Language Processing (a branch of AI) to benefit societies in low-resource settings; for this Anna is focusing on Nepal and Uganda.

In relation to social and environmental sustainability, Anna has conducted research with diverse actors including policy makers, NGOs, investors and corporations to understand the business case for living wages. Her research on the case for living wages was discussed at the World Economic Forum in Davos. On the circular economy, Anna calls for greater social responsibility. Anna has also produced research for the International Labour Organization on youth employment policies, gender and unpaid work, and decent work in recycling.

Anna’s research on youth employment brings together young people’s perspectives, statistical data, and the broader policy context. Projects within this work stream have addressed how young people in Uganda are impacted by and responding to climate change in their working lives; diary-based research to understand how young people in Indonesia and Nepal “got by” during the Delta wave of COVID-19; and statistical and policy reviews on youth employment in seven African countries. This collaborative research often adopts a co-research approach.

Anna’s earlier policy research on Regimes of Austerity: Economic Change and the Politics of Contraction, with Professor Mia Gray, examined the politics of austerity in British towns and cities. Together they identified patterns of austerity cuts to local government in the UK, and identified how the gaps left by a lack of social provision are being partially filled. Other earlier projects include research into Humanitarian Crises, Population Displacement and Epidemic Disease 1901-2010, a  PhD on attitudes and discourses about international inequality in Kenya, Mexico and the UK, and a world mapping project which produced hundreds of world cartograms, The Atlas of the Real World: mapping the way we live, and www.worldmapper.org.

Anna is Director of the Business Fights Poverty Institute, a consultant to the International Labour Organization, and an associate of the Young Lives project. She sits on the Steering Committee of the University of Cambridge Centre for Human Inspired Artificial Intelligence, writes for The Conversation, and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Research

Research interests: 

Work and Employment; Living Wages; Green, Circular and Care Economies; Youth Livelihoods; Austerity and Inequality; Equitable Artificial Intelligence; Public Policy

Recent research projects: 

  • Social Science Impact Award, ESRC. Taking climate change to school. 2022-2023.
  • Prince of Wales Fellowship in Global Sustainability (on the Decent Work in the Circular Economy and The Case for Living Wages), 2019-2022.
  • Seed funding from the School of Technology, University of Cambridge. 2021.
  • British Academy Youth Futures research, Peak Youth, Climate Change and the Role of Young People in Seizing their Future. 2020-2022.
  • Asian Development Bank project, Youth-specific livelihoods impacts and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. 2020-2021.

Published works: 

Books & edited volumes

Barford, A. (ed.) 2023. Being and Becoming: Uncertain Youth Futures. Journal of the British Academy, volume 11, supplementary issue 3, ISSN 2052-7217.

Dorling, D., Newman, M.E.J. and Barford, A., 2010. The atlas of the real world: mapping the way we live. (2nd edition). 416pp. Also published in Germany and Austria.

Dorling, D., Newman, M. and Barford, A. 2008. The atlas of the real world: mapping the way we live. (1st edition). London, Thames & Hudson.  Also published in France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Japan, South Korea and the United States. 

 

Journal articles

Hu, S., Oppong, A., Mogo, E., Collins, C., Occhini, G., Barford, A. and Korhonen, A., in press. Natural Language Processing Technologies for Public Health in Africa: A Scoping Review. Journal of Medical Internet Research.

Barford, A., Beales, A. and Zorila, M., 2025. An Expert Study of Systemic Influences on Progress Towards Living Wages: A Key to Unlock the Sustainable Development Goals. Business Strategy & Development, vol. 8, issue 1, doi:10.1002/bsd2.70048.

Barford, A. and Ahmad, S.R., 2024. Responsibility fixes: patching up circular economy value chains. Cambridge Journal of Regions Economy and Society, vol. 17, issue 3, p.591-603. doi:10.1093/cjres/rsae018.

Barford, A., McCarthy, G., Mueller, G., Osborne, H., Pratiwi, A.M., Pradhan, K. and Shrestha, S., 2024. Mortgaged futures: fractured livelihoods and youth debts during COVID-19. Journal of Youth Studies, vol. ahead-of-print, issue ahead-of-print, p.1-20. doi:10.1080/13676261.2023.2299256.

Hu, S., Oppong, A., Mogo, E., Barford, A., Occhini, G., Collins, C. and Korhonen, A., 2024. Review Protocol: A Scoping Review of Natural Language Processing Technologies for Public Health in Africa. medRxiv, pp.2024-07.

Barford, A., 2023. Youth futures under construction. Journal of the British Academy, vol. 11, p.3-16. doi:10.5871/jba/011s3.003.

Barford, A. and Ahmad, S.R., 2023. Levers for a corporate transition to a plastics circular economy. Business Strategy and the Environment, vol. 32, issue 4, p.1203-1217. doi:10.1002/bse.3182.

Barford, A., Magimbi, P., Mugeere, A., Nyiraneza, M., Isiko, B. and Mankhwazi, C., 2023. Young people ‘making it work’ in a changing climate. Journal of the British Academy, vol. 11, p.173-197. doi:10.5871/jba/011s3.173.

Mueller, G., Barford, A., Osborne, H., Pradhan, K., Proefke, R., Shrestha, S. and Pratiwi, A.M., 2023. Disaster Diaries: Qualitative Research at a Distance. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, vol. 22, p.16094069221147163-. doi:10.1177/16094069221147163.

Proefke, R. and Barford, A., 2023. Creating spaces for co-research. Journal of the British Academy, vol. 11, p.19-42. doi:10.5871/jba/011s3.019.

Barford, A. and Gray, M., 2022. The tattered state: Falling through the social safety net. Geoforum, vol. 137, p.115-125. doi:10.1016/j.geoforum.2022.09.020.

Cieslik, K., Barford, A. and Vira, B., 2022. Young people not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) in Sub-Saharan Africa: Sustainable Development Target 8.6 missed and reset. Journal of Youth Studies, vol. 25, issue 8, p.1126-1147. doi:10.1080/13676261.2021.1939287.

Barford, A., 2021. Challenging inequality in Kenya, Mexico and the UK. Third World Quarterly, vol. 42, issue 4, p.679-698. doi:10.1080/01436597.2020.1826299.

Barford, A. and Ahmad, S.R., 2021. A Call for a Socially Restorative Circular Economy: Waste Pickers in the Recycled Plastics Supply Chain. Circular Economy and Sustainability, vol. 1, issue 2, p.761-782. doi:10.1007/s43615-021-00056-7.

Barford, A., Coombe, R. and Proefke, R., 2021. Against the odds: Young people’s high aspirations and societal contributions amid a decent work shortage. Geoforum, vol. 121, p.162-172. doi:10.1016/j.geoforum.2021.02.011.

Mugeere, A., Barford, A. and Magimbi, P., 2021. Climate Change and Young People in Uganda: A Literature Review. The Journal of Environment & Development, vol. 30, issue 4, p.344-368. doi:10.1177/10704965211047159.

Barford, A., Coombe, R. and Proefke, R., 2020. Youth experiences of the decent work deficit. Geography, vol. 105, issue 2, p.60-68. doi:10.1080/00167487.2020.12094090.

Barford, A., 2020. Informal work in a circular economy: waste collection, insecurity and COVID19. Proceedings of the IS4CE2020 Conference of the International Society for the Circular Economy. doi:10.17863/CAM.56175.

Gray, M. and Barford, A., 2018. The depths of the cuts: the uneven geography of local government austerity. Cambridge Journal of Regions Economy and Society, vol. 11, issue 3, p.541-563. doi:10.1093/cjres/rsy019.

Barford, A., 2017. Emotional responses to world inequality. Emotion, Space and Society, vol. 22, p.25-35. doi:10.1016/j.emospa.2016.10.006.

Barford, A., 2016. Discourses supporting socio-economic inequality in Kenya, Mexico and the United Kingdom. Portuguese Journal of Social Science, vol. 15, issue 3, p.331-347. doi:10.1386/pjss.15.3.331_1.

Smallman-Raynor, M., Cliff, A. and Barford, A., 2015. Geographical Perspectives on Epidemic Transmission of Cholera in Haiti, October 2010 Through March 2013. Annals of the American Association of Geographers, vol. 105, issue 4, p.665-683. doi:10.1080/00045608.2015.1050755.

Barford, A., 2014. The causes of international inequality. Geography, vol. 99, issue 2, p.104-107.

Barford, A. and Pickett, K., 2014. How to build a more equal American society: lessons from successful experiences. Solutions Journal, vol. 5, issue 4, p.60-71.

Barford, A., Dorling, D. and Pickett, K., 2010. Re-evaluating self-evaluation. A commentary on Jen, Jones, and Johnston (68:4, 2009). Social Science and Medicine, vol. 70, issue 4, p.496-497. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2009.10.059.

Barford, A., 2009. World poverty - what can we do about it?. Geography, vol. 94, issue 3, p.215-218.

Dorling, D. and Barford, A., 2009. The inequality hypothesis: thesis, antithesis, and a synthesis?. Health and Place, vol. 15, issue 4, p.1166-1169. doi:10.1016/j.healthplace.2009.06.005.

Moraru, M., Barford, A. and Dorling, D., 2009. Cartografiando la extensión de la globalización. GeoFocus, vol. 9, p.1-18.

Barford, A., 2008. Worldmapper: hundreds of world maps for the Internetworld. Mappemonde, vol. 89, issue 1.

Barford, A., Moraru, M. and Dorling, D., 2008. CARTOGRAFIANDO LA EXTENSIÓN DE LA GLOBALIZACIÓN. GeoFocus.

Barford, A. and Dorling, D., 2007. The shape of the global causes of death. International Journal of Health Geographics, vol. 6, art. 48, doi:10.1186/1476-072X-6-48.

Barford, A. and Dorling, D., 2007. Re-ordering the world. Geography Review, vol. 20, issue 5, p.8-11.

Dorling, D. and Barford, A., 2007. Shaping the world to illustrate inequalities in health. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, vol. 85, issue 11, p.890-893. doi:10.2471/BLT.07.044131.

Dorling, D., Barford, A. and Wheeler, B., 2007. Health impacts of an environmental disaster: a polemic. Environmental Research Letters, vol. 2, issue 4, art. 045007, doi:10.1088/1748-9326/2/4/045007.

Barford, A. and Dorling, D., 2006. Worldmapper: the world as you've never seen it before. Teaching Geography, vol. 31, issue 2, p.68-75.

Barford, A. and Dorling, D., 2006. A new approach to mapping the world: visualizing facets of international health. National Medical Journal of India, vol. 19, issue 4, p.234-235.

Barford, A., Dorling, D., Davey Smith, G. and Shaw, M., 2006. Life expectancy: women now on top everywhere. British Medical Journal, vol. 332, issue 7545, p.808-808. doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7545.808.

Barford, A., Dorling, D., Davey Smith, G. and Shaw, M., 2006. The cause for quiet celebration. BMJ, vol. 332, issue 7549, p.1095-1096. doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7549.1095-c.

Dorling, D. and Barford, A., 2006. What's wrong with this picture?. New Scientist, vol. 190, issue 2550, p.37-39.

Dorling, D., Barford, A. and Newman, M., 2006. Worldmapper: the world as you've never seen it before. IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, vol. 12, issue 5, p.757-764. doi:10.1109/TVCG.2006.202.

Dorling, D. and Barford, A., 2006. Humanising geography. Geography, vol. 91, issue 3, p.187-197.

 

Reports

Barford, A., Brockie, K. and O'Higgins, N., 2024. Volunteering, unpaid care work and gender in lower-income countries. United Nations Volunteers and International Labour Organization, Bonn and Geneva. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54394/QKYG5859

O'Higgins, N., Karkee, V., Levina, K., Cuaulte Segovia, M. and Barford, A., 2023. ILO Youth Country Briefs (for Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, Senegal, Rwanda). International Labour Organization, Geneva. https://www.ilo.org/resource/news/ilo-launches-series-country-briefs-youth-employment-sub-saharan-africa

O'Higgins, N., Karkee, V., Levina, K., Cuautle Segovia, M. and Barford, A., 2023. ILO Youth Country Briefs: Cross country review. doi:10.17863/CAM.107202.

Barford, A., Gilbert, R., Beales, A., Zorila, M. and Nelson, J., 2022. The case for living wages: How paying living wages improves business performance and tackles poverty. doi:10.17863/CAM.80370.

Mueller, G., Shrestha, S., Pradhan, K., Barford, A., Pratiwi, A.M. and Hughson, G., 2022. Youth in a time of crisis: livelihood diaries from Nepal and Indonesia during COVID-19. doi:10.17863/CAM.84462.

Shankland, S., Hyson, K. and Barford, A., 2022. Lifting youth participation through financial inclusion. doi:10.17863/CAM.85272.

Barford, A., Coutts, A. and Sahai, G., 2021. Youth employment in times of COVID: A global review of COVID-19 policy responses to tackle (un)employment and disadvantage among young people. International Labour Organization: Geneva. doi:10.17863/CAM.89026.

Barford, A., Mugeere, A., Proefke, R. and Stocking, B., 2021. Young People and Climate Change. COP 26 Briefing Series of The British Academy, p.1-17. doi:10.5871/bacop26/9780856726606.001.

Barford, A., Olwell, R.H., Mugeere, A., Nyiraneza, M., Magimbi, P., Mankhwazi, C. and Isiko, B., 2021. Living in the climate crisis: young people in Uganda. Murray Edwards College, Cambridge. doi:10.17863/CAM.75235.

Shuckburgh, E., Zenghelis, D., Agarwala, M., Diaz Anadon, L., Howard-Grenville, J., Penasco, C., Seega, N., Whittington, E., Barford, A., Brayne, C., Sirringhaus, H., Friend, R., Fitzgerald, S., Cebon, D., Ainalis, D., Barlow, C., Mackie, E., Schooling, J., Guthrie, P., Ramage, M., Plummer Braeckman, J., Reiner, D., Epple, C., Reynolds, F., Coomes, D., Griffiths, H., Cordonier Segger, M., Phillips, F., Rands, M., Neilsen, A. and Hayes, J., 2020. A Blueprint for a Green Future - Multidisciplinary report on a green recovery from COVID-19. Cambridge Zero Policy Forum. https://www.zero.cam.ac.uk/green-recovery-report

Barford, A. and Cieslik, K., 2019. Making a life: a youth employment agenda. Murray-Edwards College, University of Cambridge. doi:10.17863/CAM.41570.

Barford, A. and Coombe, R., 2019. Getting by: young people’s working lives. Murray-Edwards College, University of Cambridge. doi:10.17863/CAM.39460.

 

Book chapters

Barford, A., 2024. Avoiding the decent work deficits of the circular economy, in Rethinking Economic Transformation for Sustainable and Inclusive Development, Edward Elgar Publishing. p.103-122. doi:10.4337/9781035348466.00009.

O'Higgins, N., Barford, A., Coutts, A., Elsheikhi, A., Pinedo Caro, L. and Brockie, K.. 2023. How NEET are developing and emerging economies? What do we know and what can be done about it?, in Global Employment Policy Review 2023: Macroeconomic policies for recovery and structural transformation, International Labour Office. art. 3.

Dorling, D., Newman, M.E.J., Allsopp, G., Barford, A., Wheeler, B. and Pritchard, J., 2015. Ecological Footprint, in ATLAS OF KNOWLEDGE: ANYONE CAN MAP. p.90-91.

Barford, A., 2014. Representing, in The SAGE Handbook of Human Geography: Two Volume Set, SAGE Publications. p.273-295. doi:10.4135/9781446247617.n13.

Barford, A. and Dorling, D., 2011. Inequality, in Southerton, D. (ed.) Encyclopaedia of consumer culture, SAGE Publications, London. doi:10.4135/9781412994248.n290.

Barford, A. and Dorling, D., 2008. Telling an Old Story with New Maps, in Geographic Visualization: Concepts, Tools and Applications. p.67-107. doi:10.1002/9780470987643.ch5.

Barford, A. and Dorling, D.. Mapping Disease Patterns, in Wiley StatsRef: Statistics Reference Online, Wiley. p.1-15. doi:10.1002/9781118445112.stat06102.pub2.

Teaching and supervision

Teaching interests: 

Within the Department of Geography of the University of Cambridge, Anna has lectured undergraduate Geographers on Austerity and Affluence; Geographical Research; and Global Urbanism; and supervised on many courses. Anna has been Director of Studies for Geography at Homerton, Girton, Murray Edwards and Christ’s Colleges. She currently supervises PhD students Kate Brockie and Grace Mueller on Geographies of Work, and co-supervised Jakob Prüss’ doctorate on Circular Supply Chains.

For the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, Anna has lectured and supervised dissertation students on the MSt in Sustainability Leadership, as well as teaching bespoke Executive Education courses run by CISL. Beyond Cambridge, she has given guest lectures on the University of Nottingham’s MA in Public Health and the University of Northampton’s BA in Development, and has taught Geographers at the University of Sheffield.

Supervisor of: 

Kate Brockie

Grace Mueller

Dr Jakob Prüss (former supervisee, graduated from LTH Zurich)