Manuel García-Ruiz holds a PhD in Sociology from the Instituto Universitário de Lisboa and is an Associate Researcher in Urban and Cultural Sociology at CIES-Iscte in Lisbon, Portugal. 

He has been visiting professor at different universities and he has been appointed as a scientific advisor for different departments, organizations and projects.

He specializes in the socio-spatial transformations of urban spaces through culture-led events, particularly at night. His research critically explores how the eventification and touristification of cities reshape emotional and spatial relationships, generating socio-affective narratives that challenge conventional urban governance and public policies. 

Among his research topics highlights: 

• (i) Nightlife, festivals, and tourism 
• (ii) city branding, culture-led regeneration strategies, artwashing and commodification of the arts, 
• (iii) artistification, culture and artistic careers of emergent professionals, and 
• (iv) methods and methodologies with special attention to research at night time.

Dr. García-Ruiz has published extensively in tourism studies, cultural sociology, experiential economies, and Night Studies. 

He is founder and coordinator of the International Night Studies Network (INSN), fieldwork coordinator at LXNIGHTS Research Group, Coordinator of the Rede de Etnografia Urbana (Etno.Urb), and  Director of the Urban Audiovisual Festival (UAF).

He is also a reputed festival advisor, specialized in art in the dark and in the night, and a well-known talent curator in the field of new media and light art.