Matthew Sparke

Matthew Sparke, born in 1967 in the UK, is currently a Professor of Politics at the University of California Santa Cruz, where he co-directs an interdisciplinary program in Global and Community Health. After earning a Congratulatory First in Geography from Oxford University and completing his PhD at the University of British Columbia in 1996, he spent 22 years at the University of Washington (1995-2017), where he held joint appointments in Geography and International Studies. During his tenure at UW, he helped create the Integrated Social Sciences degree and undergraduate Global Health program, earning the Distinguished Teacher Award for his teaching on globalization. His research examines the intersections of globalization, global health, citizenship, and geopolitics, resulting in influential books including "Introducing Globalization: Ties, Tensions and Uneven Integration" and "In the Space of Theory: Post-foundational Geographies of the Nation-State." His work, supported by the National Science Foundation and other foundations, has significantly contributed to understanding how globalization impacts governance, citizenship, and health inequalities. He currently serves as an editor for prestigious journals including Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers and Globalization and Health.