Neil Renwick

About

Neil is Professor of Global Security at Coventry University, UK. A graduate of Durham University, UK and the Australian National University, He specialises in global and regional issues at the nexus of international relations, sustainable development and human security, including identity politics. He teaches an undergraduate ‘Chinese Politics, Foreign Relations and Security’, an MA Module entitled ‘Threats to Global Security’ and offers postgraduate dissertation supervision.

He has a long and successful record of many doctoral supervisions, with former students now holding posts as holding professors, senior academic leaders and government officials. He has extensive mentoring experience and places significant importance to supporting Early Career Researchers at Coventry, the UK and internationally through initiatives such as the highly successful UK-Brazil Young Researchers Workshop, run jointly by Coventry University and Brazil’s Regional Community University of Chapecó (UNOCHAPECÓ) funded by the Newton Fund and administered by the British Council; bringing early career researchers together to forge new research collaborations.  

Career overview

Neil graduated from Nottingham Trent Polytechnic, before undertaking an MA in Politics by Research at Durham University as a member of University College, Durham. A Doctoral Scholarship awardee, he gained his PhD from the Australian National University. His teaching experience reaches back to the mid-1980s as the Senior Tutor in Politics at Adelaide University, returning to the UK to take up a post at what had now become Nottingham Trent University. Neil was appointed Professor of Global Security at Coventry University in August 2006. 

Research

Neil’s research focuses mainly a range of International Relations, Politics and Security issues. A particular interest is Northeast and Southeast Asia, including Japan, Korea and China, but also researches identity politics and issues of health, poverty, renewable energy access, equity and renewables, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Global Development. He has published extensively on these research interests and his books include ‘Northeast Asian Critical Security’, ‘America’s World Identity’ and ‘Japan’s Alliance Politics’ (all Palgrave Macmillan). 

Neil has organised many research conferences, workshops and seminar programmes. He initiated, and edits, the Coventry University School of Humanities publications ‘Phoenix Research Policy Briefs’ and ‘Phoenix Research Papers’. He is a long-standing member of the Research UK Peer Review community, assessing research proposals across Politics, History and International Relation, contributing to academic collegiality and scholarly advancement. 

Current research work includes (but is not restricted to): ‘AI and global development’, an international cross-disciplinary collaborative research project that pushes the boundaries of existing knowledge and understanding of the potential and risks of AI in the human security and development policy and practice domain and is scheduled for publication in the Number 1 ranked Development Studies Journal ‘World Development’. 

‘The Tokyo Olympics and Japan’s National identity: An exploration of the nexus between the Tokyo Olympics and the evolving character of Japan’s constructed national identity through a political-cultural analysis of Japanese Contemporary literature’.

‘China’s global discourse’, a de-construction of the narrative foundations, political and cultural drivers and practices of Chinese foreign relations’.

‘China’s Approach to International Sustainable Development: Policy and Practice’ 

External activities

Much of his work is related to, and directed towards, the policy-making community, providing for evidence-based policy development across a range of fields through Policy Briefs, workshops and other outreach activities that he has organised and participated in worldwide. He is an invited speaker to major events, including the T-20 Think Tank Conference, contributing to the   2016 Hangzhou G-20 Leaders’ Communiqué consultation process. He is an invited contributor to the work of the United Nations in preparing the new United Nations Human Security Report due publication in 2022. He was an invited advisor to the United Nations Development Programme in the Pacific, formulating the Pacific Leaders’ Training Programme.

Neil is an active supporter of the vital work undertaken by non-governmental organisations such as the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC), for whom he is a published author. In addition, he has authored major reports for governments, including the UK Government. He was the Human Security Series Co-Editor for Ashgate Press and a former Reviews Editor for The Pacific Review. He is a Senior Associate Member of St. Antony’s College, Oxford and other leading international research institutes. 

Publications and press

Selected publications:

• Renwick, N. & Gu, Jing (2022) ‘China’s Global Role: Knowledge and Policy Diffusion’ in Osmany de Porto Oliveira and Giulia C. Romano (eds) Knowledge Diffusion in Brazil and China: Agents, Objects, Time, Structures and Power (Palgrave), Chapter 3, forthcoming.
• Renwick, N. (2020). ‘Policy Brief: China and International Humanitarian Aid Cooperation’. Institute of Development Studies. 
• Renwick, Neil & Gu, Jing. (2020). Is Development Assistance Getting Better Due to the Widening Role of Emerging Economies?. 10.1007/978-981-13-7232-2_6. The Belt and Road Initiative: Infrastructure and Sustainable Development
• Neil Renwick (2019) ‘The Belt and Road Initiative: Infrastructure and Sustainable Development’ in Stefania Paladini, Suresh George (eds) Sustainable Economy and Emerging Markets (London: Routledge). 
• Gu, Jing & Renwick, Neil & Xue, Lan. (2018). The BRICS and Africa's search for green growth, clean energy and sustainable development. Energy Policy. 120. 675-683. 10.1016/j.enpol.2018.05.028.
• Renwick, Neil & Gu, Jing & Hong, Song. (2018). China and African Governance in the Extractive Industries. Revue internationale de politique de développement. 10. 10.4000/poldev.2547.
• Neil Renwick (2018) Emerging Economies, Disaster Risk Reduction, and South–South Cooperation: The Case of Mexico, IDS Bulletin, Volume 49 Number 3, July 30, https://doi.org/10.19088/1968-2018.149
• Renwick, N., Gu, J., & Gong, S. (2018). The impact of BRI investment in infrastructure on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. K4D Emerging Issues Report. Brighton, UK: Institute of Development Studies.
• Renwick, Neil (2014) ‘O desenvolvimento da África e os países emergentes: Brasil versus China?, PONTES, VOLUME 10 - NUMBER 7, 25 September
• Renwick, N. (2011) 'Millennium Development Goal 1: Poverty, Hunger and Decent Work in Southeast Asia'. Third World Quarterly 32 (1), 65-89.
• Renwick, N.G., and Cao, Q. (2008) 'Culture as “Soft Power”: The Emerging Discourse of “National Cultural Security” in China'. American Journal of Chinese Studies 15 (2), 301-318
• Poku, N.K., Renwick, N.G., and Porto, J.G. (2007) 'Human Security and Development in Africa'. International Affairs 83 (6), 1155-1170.
• Renwick, N.G. (2007) 'Southeast Asia and the Global 'War on Terror' Discourse'. Cambridge Review of International Affairs 20 (2), 249-265.
• Renwick, N.G. (2004) Human Security and Health Governance: China’s Experience. European Studies Centre E-Publications. 
• Renwick, N.G. (2000) America’s World Identity. New York: St. Martin's Press 

Press:

• China TV interview (Live, primetime flagship news broadcast to millions of viewers, G20 2016 on eve of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Hangzhou) http://english.cctv.com/2016/09/05/ARTIrktzPMQULXEXMIjY4hAH160905.shtmlngzhou Summit; http://english.cctv.com/2016/09/05/ARTIrktzPMQULXEXMIjY4hAH160905.shtml 
  CCTV.com
• NsNewsWire - Bangladesh's First Press News Agency,’ Spotlight: G20 summit to open new path for growth — experts’, 5 September, 2016; http://www.nsnewswire.com/spotlight-g20-summit-to-open-new-path-for-growth-experts/
• The Star (South Africa) ‘China’s G-20 Leadership makes a difference, Early edn. 5 September 2016; https://www.pressreader.com/south-africa/the-star-south-africa-early-edition/20160905/281921657487406