Political Science as the Missing Link in Housing Studies

Abstract

The academic discipline of political science has a comparatively modest position in the field of housing studies. This article first confirms this by analysing the output of leading housing journals, measured in quantitative terms. Then five possible explanations to this situation are discussed. (1) Housing provision is implemented on the local level, while political science studies the national and international levels.(2) The central concepts of political science are not relevant to the study of housing issues. (3) Housing issues are not really political. (4) The central role of markets in housing provision makes political science irrelevant. (5) The economic incentives and institutional support for political scientists to study housing are insufficient. Some of these explanations are found to be groundless and others more plausible, but it is impossible to point out any single one of them as really conclusive. Finally it is discussed whether political scientists' low interest in housing issues is actually something to be deplored. It is claimed both that political theory could make important contributions to housing studies and, inversely, that theories of political science could be developed in interesting directions by being applied to the specific empirical context of housing.

Comparative Housing Research: A ‘System-Embedded’ Approach

“…First, in Western countries it housing is almost always provided predominantly by the market. As Bengtsson (2009) observes, 'in contrast to other welfare commodities, the politically defined needs of housing cannot be fulfilled by state allocation but only by state correctives to the market' (p. 16). Kemeny (2001) notes that even when housing is provided by the state, the consumer pays a much higher proportion of the costs than is the case with other pillars of the welfare state.…”

“…So it is probably harder to 'locate' housing policy than it is education, social security or education policy. Moreover, if one is to understand the role of housing policies within the housing system the behaviour of a range of actors comes into play -in contrast to the research of other 'pillars' where policies are more clearly implemented via bureaucracies (Bengtsson, 2009).…”

Are Governments Really Interested in Fixing the Housing Problem? Policy Capture and Busy Work in Australia

“…Yet, perspectives from political science have occupied a relatively modest position in housing studies (Bengtsson, 2009). This is perplexing since the question of why policymakers seem determined to avoid seemingly obvious solutions to housing problems is in essence a political one.…”

“…Milligan & Tiernan, 2011;Yates, 2013) as Keynesian economics made way for neoliberalism in the mid-1980s and beyond (Beer et al, 2007). We add to existing analyses of the institutional and political drivers of Australian housing policy change over this period (Dalton, 2010;Jacobs et al, 2003) perspectives from political science, which offer explanations for why governments persistently adopt policy measures contrary to the weight of evidence and expert advice (Bengtsson, 1995(Bengtsson, , 2009 and the tactics by which powerful interest groups come to 'capture' social policy arenas through knowledge production and dissemination, lobbying, financial donations and threats of 'trouble' (Dal Bó, 2006;Levine & Forrence, 1990). In particular, we show that using the lens of policy capture (Dal Bó, 2006;Levine & Forrence, 1990) provides additional insight into the reasons why Australian governments have adopted particular approaches to addressing housing affordability problems, and the strategies that have enabled them to do so.…”

Hvorfor bør boligforskere interessere seg for fortida?

“…Denne artikkelen er ment som et innspill i debatten om ulike fagdisipliners bidrag til boligforskningen. Boligforskningens forhold til fag som økonomi, historie og statsvitenskap har for eksempel blitt viet oppmerksomhet i et sentralt tidsskrift som Housing, Theory and Society (se for eksempel Jacobs, 2001;Bengtsson, 2009). Dette reflekterer at housing studies er en bastard som har hentet metoder og teorier fra ulike fagfelt på eklektisk vis.…”