I’ve been awarded a DLitt degree (Doctor of Letters) from Durham University, on the basis of publications post-PhD. This is a so-called ‘higher doctorate’. I submitted three books – Understanding Henri Lefebvre, Speaking Against Numberand Terror and Territory – along with a statement linking them to my research as a whole. This was then all assessed by three external examiners. Durham’s regulations state that

A Higher Doctorate is awarded in consideration of work which is of high distinction, constituting a substantial and original contribution to scholarship in the field and which has already been published or accepted for publication, or in the case of musical compositions, of outstanding merit. Higher Doctorates are normally awarded only to those with distinguished work of considerable scholarly impact.