Loughborough University
Leicestershire, UK
LE11 3TU
+44 (0)1509 263171
Loughborough University

Loughborough University Research Publications


Publications for James Esson

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Journal Articles

Okorie, CA, Esson, J, Smith, DP (2023) Obligatory return migration and the career aspirations of Nigerian Commonwealth Scholars, Globalisation, Societies and Education, pp.1-15, ISSN: 1476-7724. DOI: 10.1080/14767724.2023.2244453.

Esson, J, Amankwaa, EF, Mensah, P (2021) Boys are tired! Youth, urban struggles and retaliatory patriarchy, Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, 46(1), pp.193-207, ISSN: 0020-2754. DOI: 10.1111/tran.12411.

Esson, J and Last, A (2020) Anti-racist learning and teaching in British Geography, Area, 52(4), pp.668-677, ISSN: 0004-0894. DOI: 10.1111/area.12658.

Esson, J (2020) ‘The why and the white’: Racism and curriculum reform in British Geography, Area, 52(4), pp.708-715, ISSN: 0004-0894. DOI: 10.1111/area.12475.

Amankwaa, EF, Esson, J, Gough, KV (2020) Geographies of youth, mobile phones, and the urban hustle, The Geographical Journal, 186(4), pp.362-374, ISSN: 0016-7398. DOI: 10.1111/geoj.12354.

McQuaid, K, Esson, J, Gough, KV, Wignall, R (2020) Navigating old age and the urban terrain: Geographies of ageing from Africa, Progress in Human Geography, ISSN: 0309-1325. DOI: 10.1177/0309132520948956.

Esson, J (2020) Playing the victim? Human trafficking, African youth, and geographies of structural inequality, Population, Space and Place, pp.1-12, ISSN: 1544-8444. DOI: 10.1002/psp.2309.

Judge, RC, Blazek, M, Esson, J (2020) Editorial: Transnational youth mobilities: Emotions, inequities, and temporalities, Population, Space and Place, ISSN: 1544-8444. DOI: 10.1002/psp.2307.

Mason, C, Darby, D, Drywood, E, Esson, J, Yilmaz, S (2019) Rights, risks, and responsibilities in the recruitment of children within the global football industry, The International Journal of Children's Rights, 27(4), pp.738-756, ISSN: 0927-5568. DOI: 10.1163/15718182-02704005.

Wignall, R, McQuaid, K, Gough, KV, Esson, J (2019) ‘We built this city’: Mobilities, urban livelihoods and social infrastructure in the lives of elderly Ghanaians, Geoforum, 103, pp.75-84, ISSN: 0016-7185. DOI: 10.1016/j.geoforum.2019.03.022.

Gough, KV, Yankson, PWK, Esson, J (2018) Migration, housing and attachment in urban gold mining settlements, Urban Studies, 56(13), pp.2670-2687, ISSN: 0042-0980. DOI: 10.1177/0042098018798536.

Blazek, M, Esson, J, Smith, D (2018) Relational geographies of human trafficking: inequality, manoeuvring and im/mobility across space and time, Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, 44(1), pp.63-78, ISSN: 0020-2754. DOI: 10.1111/tran.12271.

Yilmaz, S, Esson, J, Darby, P, Drywood, E, Mason, C (2018) Children’s rights and the regulations on the transfer of young players in football, International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 55(1), pp.115-124, ISSN: 1461-7218. DOI: 10.1177/1012690218786665.

Blazek, M and Esson, J (2018) The absent presence: children’s place in narratives of human trafficking, Area, ISSN: 0004-0894. DOI: 10.1111/area.12473.

Esson, J and Drywood, E (2018) Challenging popular representations of child trafficking in football, Journal of Criminological Research, Policy and Practice, 4(1), ISSN: 2056-3841. DOI: 10.1108/JCRPP-01-2018-0005.

Esson, J, Noxolo, P, Baxter, R, Daley, P, Byron, M (2017) The 2017 RGS-IBG chair’s theme: decolonising geographical knowledges, or reproducing coloniality?, Area, 49(3), pp.384-388, ISSN: 1475-4762. DOI: 10.1111/area.12371.

Yankson, PWK, Gough, KV, Esson, J, Amankwaa, EF (2017) Spatial and social transformations in a secondary city: the role of mobility in Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana, Geografisk Tidsskrift-Danish Journal of Geography, 117(2), pp.82-92, ISSN: 0016-7223. DOI: 10.1080/00167223.2017.1343672.

Oteng-Ababio, M, Smout, I, Amankwaa, EF, Esson, J (2017) The divergence between acceptability of municipal services and urbanization in developing countries: insights from Accra and Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana, Geografisk Tidsskrift-Danish Journal of Geography, 117(2), pp.142-154, ISSN: 1903-2471. DOI: 10.1080/00167223.2017.1331745.

Ungruhe, C and Esson, J (2017) A social negotiation of hope: male West African youth, ‘waithood’ and the pursuit of social becoming through football, Boyhood Studies, 10(1), pp.22-43, ISSN: 2375-9240. DOI: 10.3167/bhs.2017.100103.

Esson, J and Wang, K (2016) Reforming a university during political transformation: a case study of Yangon University in Myanmar, Studies in Higher Education, ISSN: 0307-5079. DOI: 10.1080/03075079.2016.1239250.

Esson, J, Gough, KV, Simon, D, Amankwaa, E, Ninot, O, Yankson, PWK (2016) Livelihoods in motion: linking transport, mobility and income-generating activities, Journal of Transport Geography, 55, pp.182-188, ISSN: 0966-6923. DOI: 10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2016.06.020.

Esson, J (2016) Governance for pro-poor urban development: lessons from Ghana, International Development Planning Review, 38(2), pp.221-222, ISSN: 1478-3401. DOI: 10.3828/idpr.2016.10.

Esson, J (2015) Better off at home? Rethinking responses to trafficked West African footballers in Europe, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 41(3), pp.512-530, ISSN: 0047-9586. DOI: 10.1080/1369183X.2014.927733.

Esson, J and Ertl, H (2015) No point worrying? Potential undergraduates, study-related debt, and the financial allure of higher education, Studies in Higher Education, ISSN: 0307-5079. DOI: 10.1080/03075079.2014.968542.

Esson, J (2015) You have to try your luck: male Ghanaian youth and the uncertainty of football migration, Environment and Planning A: international journal of urban and regional research, ISSN: 1472-3409. DOI: 10.1177/0308518X15594920.

Esson, J (2015) Escape to victory: development, youth entrepreneurship and the migration of Ghanaian footballers, Geoforum, 64, pp.47-55, ISSN: 0016-7185. DOI: 10.1016/j.geoforum.2015.06.005.

Esson, J and Ertl, H (2013) Securing the Future of Higher Education in England, The Political Quarterly, 84(3), pp.404-409, ISSN: 0032-3179. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-923x.2013.12031.x.

Esson, J (2013) A body and a dream at a vital conjuncture: Ghanaian youth, uncertainty and the allure of football, GEOFORUM, 47, pp.84-92, ISSN: 0016-7185. DOI: 10.1016/j.geoforum.2013.03.011.

Collins, R, Esson, J, Gutierrez, CO, Adekunle, A (2013) Youth in motion: spatialising youth movement(s) in the social sciences, Children's Geographies, 11(3), pp.369-376, ISSN: 1473-3277. DOI: 10.1080/14733285.2013.779840.

Esson, J (2011) African Soccerscapes: How a continent changed the world's game, African Affairs, 110(440), pp.501-503, ISSN: 0001-9909. DOI: 10.1093/afraf/adr031.

Dy, A, Swann, T, Oelgemöller, C, Khan, I, Esson, J, Legaspi, F (Accepted for publication) Community organising for the anti-racist university: Collective Anti-Racist Efforts (CARE) and Citizens UK, Ephemera: theory and politics in organization, ISSN: 1473-2866.



Conferences

Esson, J (2019) Racism, Migration Management and Psycho-Politics in UK HE. In Annual International Conference of the Royal Geographical Society with the Institute of British Geographers, London.

Esson, J (2019) Teaching and learning about racism in geography: activating hope. In Annual International Conference of the Royal Geographical Society with the Institute of British Geographers, London.

Esson, J (2018) Migration Management and Psycho-Politics in UK HE. In 3rd International Conference on Geographies of Education, Loughborough University.

Esson, J (2018) Human trafficking in football: debates, policies and ethics. In European College of Sport Science, University College Dublin.

Esson, J, Byron, M, Daley, P, Noxolo, P (2017) The 2017 RGS-IBG chair’s theme: decolonising geographical knowledges, or reproducing coloniality?. In Annual International Conference of the Royal Geographical Society with the Institute of British Geographers, London.

Blazek, M and Esson, J (2016) The absent presence: the place of children in narratives of human trafficking. In Children Displaced Across Borders, Swansea University.

Blazek, M, Esson, J, Smith, DP (2016) Relational geographies of East-West human trafficking in Europe: sites, scales and mobilities. In Annual International Conference of the Royal Geographical Society with the Institute of British Geographers, London.

Esson, J (2016) Why is our geography curriculum so white? An obvious response. In Race in Geography Teaching Workshop, Royal Geographical Society with the Institute of British Geographers, London.

Esson, J (2016) Kicking the habit: challenging the sedentary bias in responses to football trafficking. In Annual International Conference of the Royal Geographical Society with the Institute of British Geographers, London.

Esson, J (2016) Rethinking representations of football trafficking. In 1st International Conference on Geographies of Migration and Mobilities (iMigMob), Loughborough University.

Esson, J, Gough, KV, Yankson, PWK (2016) Surviving through movement: Exploring the mobility of elderly Ghanaians in Accra and Sekondi-Takoradi. In Annual Conference of the American Association of Geographers, San Francisco.

Smout, I, Ngouanet, C, Oteng-Ababio, M, Kiunsi, R, Yemmafouo, A, Fisher, J, Esson, J, Amankwaa, EF (2016) Strategies for coping with poor services in low-income communities of African cities. In Rural-Urban Connections in Sub-Saharan Africa: Scientific Conference, University of Copenhagen.

Gough, KV, Andreasen, MH, Esson, J, Mainet, H, Namangaya, A, Yankson, PWK, Agergaard, J, Amankwaa, EF, Kiunsi, R, Møller‐Jensen, L, Yemmafouo, A (2016) City dynamics in sub-Saharan Africa: mobility and livelihoods of urban residents. In Rural-Urban Connections in Sub-Saharan Africa: Scientific Conference, University of Copenhagen.

Esson, J, Gough, KV, Yankson, PWK (2015) Spatial and social transformations in Ghana’s urban neighbourhoods: insights from Accra and Sekondi-Takoradi. In Doing Global Urban Research UK Conference, Loughborough University.

Esson, J (2015) From Loughborough to Douala via Accra and Paris: Critical Development Geographies of/in Anglo-Francophone Africa’. In European African Studies Conference (ECAS), University of Paris, Sorbonne.

Smout, I, Esson, J, Kiunsi, R, Ngouanet, C, Oteng-Ababio, M, Fisher, J, Yemmafouo, A, Namangaya, A (2015) Acceptability of urban water, sanitation, electricity and transport services. In Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Services Beyond 2015: Improving Access and Sustainability, 38th WEDC International ConferenceWater, Sanitation and Hygiene Services Beyond 2015: Improving Access and Sustainability, 38th WEDC International Conference, Loughborough University, UK.

Esson, J, Gough, KV, Yankson, PWK (2014) City dynamics: spatial and social transformations in Ghana’s urban neighbourhoods. In African Studies Association UK Conference, University of Sussex.

Esson, J, Gough, KV, Simon, D, Ninot, O, Yankson, PWK (2014) Livelihoods in motion: linking transport, mobility and income-generating activities in Accra. In Annual International Conference of the Royal Geographical Society with the Institute of British Geographers, London.

Esson, J, Gough, KV, Yankson, PWK (2014) What if the post metropolis is Accra? Aspiration, temporality and space. In Annual International Conference of the Royal Geographical Society with the Institute of British Geographers, London.

Esson, J (2013) The rise of the entrepreneur of self: Overcoming uncertainty in Accra through football migration. In International Conference on Entrepreneurship and Employment in the Global South, Copenhagen Business School.

Esson, J (2012) Competing fields of play: A body and a dream at a vital conjuncture’. In Annual International Conference of the Royal Geographical Society with the Institute of British Geographers, University of Edinburgh.

Esson, J (2011) Mobility and youth entrepreneurship in Accra. In Youth in Motion: Spatializing Youth Movement(s) in the Social Sciences, University College London (UCL).

Esson, J (2010) Spectators as Spectacle. In Visualizing the Game: Global Perspectives on Football in Africa, University of Basel.



Books

Darby, P, Esson, J, Ungruhe, C (Accepted for publication) African football migration: aspirations, experiences and trajectories, Manchester University Press, ISBN: 9781526120267.



Chapters

Darby, P, Esson, J, Ungruhe, C (2022) Conclusion: African football migration: aspirations, experiences and trajectories. In African football migration: aspirations, experiences and trajectories, Manchester University Press, pp.330-346, ISBN: 9781526120267.

Esson, J and Last, A (2019) Learning and teaching about race and racism in geography. In Walkington, H, Hill, J, Dwyer, S (ed) Handbook of Teaching and Learning in Geography, Edward Elgar, pp.227-240, DOI: 10.4337/9781788116497.00026.

Darby, P, Esson, J, Ungruhe, C (2018) Africa: SDP and sports academies. In Collison, H, Darnell, S, Giulianotti, R, Howe, PD (ed) Routledge Handbook of Sport for Development and Peace, Routledge, pp.419-429.

Esson, J (2016) Football as a Vehicle for Development: Lessons from Male Ghanaian Youth. In Geographies of Global Issues: Change and Threat, Springer Singapore, pp.145-162, DOI: 10.1007/978-981-4585-54-5_32.



Reports

Esson, J, Darby, P, Drywood, E, Mason, C, Yilmaz, S, Hann, M, Lee, JJ (2020) Children before players - Protecting and realising children's rights: A guide for professional football clubs, UNICEF UK.

Esson, J, Darby, P, Drywood, E, Mason, C, Yilmaz, S (2020) Children before players: Current risks and future research agendas, UNICEF UK, DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.11035.41768.

Dhillon, C, Ebende, JK, Esson, J, Nyhagen, L, Sherred, A (2018) Experiences in the classroom and beyond: the role of race and ethnicity, pp.1-51.

Gough, KV, Yankson, PWK, Amankwaa, EF, Esson, J, Adjei-Mensah, C (2016) Urban Policy Brief: Implications of mobility and urban growth for planning and development in Ghana, Urban Policy Brief Ghana 2106, European Commission Framework 7.

Smout, I, Kiunsi, R, Ngouanet, C, Oteng-Ababio, M, Esson, J, Fisher, J, Yemmafouo, A, Namangaya, A (2015) Urban residents’ access to water, sanitation, electricity and transport, and the acceptability of services. Work Package 4: Access to services in low-income city communities.

Gough, KV, Esson, J, Andreasen, MH, Mainet, H, Namangaya, A, Yankson, PWK, Agergaard, J, Amankwaa, EF, Kiunsi, R, Moller‐Jensen, L, Yemmafouo, A (2015) City dynamics: mobility and livelihoods of urban residents.

Fisher, J, Oteng-Ababio, M, Yemmafouo, A, Ngouanet, C, Lukwale, S, Esson, J, Smout, I (2015) Mobile telephony services and rural-urban linkages.

Gough, KV, Esson, J, Andreasen, MH, Yemmafouo, A, Yankson, PWK (2013) State of the art report for RurbanAfrica work package 3: city dynamics.

Gough, KV, Esson, J, Andreasen, MH, Singirankabo, A, Yankson, PWK, Yemmafouo, A, Mainet, H, Ninot, O (2013) City dynamics: Rurban Africa: African rural-city connections: briefing no.3.



Presentations

Esson, J (2019) Children’s Rights, Recruitment and Transfer of Minors: Can more be done for young African athletes?.

Esson, J (2019) Boys abe3! [Boys are tired!]’: The undeclared yet public gender war in urban Ghana.

Esson, J (2018) Irregular football migration and the recruitment and transfer of minors.

Esson, J (2018) We Built This City: Mobilities, urban livelihoods and social infrastructure in the lives of elderly Ghanaians.

Esson, J (2018) The REF, racism and the decolonial imperative in British Geography.

Esson, J (2017) Author meets critics: Robbie Shilliam’s ‘The Black Pacific’.

Esson, J (2017) Big risks for big gains: human trafficking, west African youth and the football industry.

Esson, J (2016) Football and Human Trafficking: Representations, Policies and Ethics.

Esson, J (2016) Football academies, youth entrepreneurship and football trafficking.

Esson, J (2016) Big Men vs small boys: youth entrepreneurship and football trafficking in Ghana.

Esson, J (2016) Rethinking popular representations of football trafficking.

Esson, J (2015) Transport, mobility and livelihoods in the urban global South.

Esson, J (2015) Escape to victory: development, youth entrepreneurship and football trafficking.

Esson, J (2015) It’s not winning that counts, it’s how you play the game: Criminal infiltration into major league sports.

Esson, J (2015) Beyond trafficking and slavery: A case study of Ghanaian football migration.

Esson, J (2014) Entrepreneurs of the body’: Ghanaian youth and football trafficking.

Esson, J (2013) Playing by force: Ghanaian youth and the development of football migration.

Esson, J (2012) Rethinking responses to trafficked West African footballers in Europe.

Esson, J (2010) Football and conflict resolution in sub Saharan Africa.



Other

Bailey, AJ, Breines, M, Emmerson, P, Esson, J, Halvorsen, S, Hope, JC, Joronen, M, Koh, SY, Krishnan, S, Lai, K, McFarlane, C, McLean, J, Reid, L, Sparke, M (2023) Care for Transactions, AbstractIn this editorial we ask key questions about what it means to publish ‘a journal’ in a world of publishing which is driven by individual article metrics and online access. Seeing the value of journals as venues for intellectual debate, we therefore set out a renewed vision as to how the Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers can provide space for more collective and collaborative approaches to geographical debate. This approach revolves around the idea of ‘transactions’ itself and creating spaces in the journal for more commentary, debate and dialogue, alongside continuing to publish landmark papers.. DOI: 10.1111/tran.12592.

Esson, J Sport, migration, and gender in the neoliberal age. DOI: 10.1080/01419870.2021.1961840.



Getting in touch

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