The Social in Social Housing. Introductory Remarks on a Complex and Fluid Debate

Abstract

Housing has become a key concern in most parts of today’s world, putting social housing again at the centre of public debate. However, it is not clear what the “social” in social housing actually means. This book sets out to increase our knowledge about social housing and stimulate an ongoing discussion about what the social refers to (or is meant to refer to). The book invites you on a journey across continents and concepts, offering up a kaleidoscope of social, political, and cultural realities. Twenty short essays, based on case studies from around the world, describe and illustrate the social life in social housing. Ten theoretical chapters, written from the perspective of different disciplines, reflect on the global challenges behind the local responses which the cases represent: migration and mobility, issues of social inequality and social justice, changing household patterns, family (re)constructions, new technologies, and care arrangements.