Dr Murray Mckenzie is a Postdoctoral Research Assistant at the LSE Saw Swee Hock Southeast Asia Centre. Dr Mckenzie holds a PhD in Geography and Urban Studies from UCL and an MA in Community and Regional Planning from the University of British Columbia. His research focuses on the roles of the arts, culture, and their contestation in processes of urban growth and change. His doctoral thesis investigated how collaborative artistic practices have served as platforms for community-building in urban villages of outer Beijing. Prior to joining LSE, Dr Mckenzie taught as a Postgraduate Teaching Assistant at UCL; resided as a Visiting Senior Scholar at Peking University; and performed as a touring musician in Europe, North America, and East and Southeast Asia.