Big Society and Big Society and LocalismLocalism

Challenges for the Housing Challenges for the Housing AcademyAcademy

The DiscoursesThe Discourses

►Participation of actors in policy and Participation of actors in policy and deliverydelivery

►Community and mutualityCommunity and mutuality►Voluntary activityVoluntary activity►LocalityLocality

Also……Also……

►Small governmentSmall government►Reductions in state expenditureReductions in state expenditure►Avoid crowding outAvoid crowding out►Alleviation of povertyAlleviation of poverty►Differences in the discourses?Differences in the discourses?

Implementation in housingImplementation in housing

►Planning reforms; abolition of regional Planning reforms; abolition of regional house building targetshouse building targets

►Neighbourhood planningNeighbourhood planning►Benefit reformsBenefit reforms►Resident involvement? Any actual Resident involvement? Any actual

changes?changes?►Mutualism and community Mutualism and community

organisation?organisation?

The State of Housing StudiesThe State of Housing Studies

►Kemeny’s 1986 plea for more Kemeny’s 1986 plea for more theoretical research (from disciplines)theoretical research (from disciplines)

►HTS in 2009HTS in 2009►Much more theory but….Much more theory but….►Some concernsSome concerns

Some ConcernsSome Concerns

►Positivism!Positivism!► Imperialistic?Imperialistic?►Opens up some inter-disciplinarity but Opens up some inter-disciplinarity but

closes down other opportunities eg closes down other opportunities eg behavioural economics behavioural economics

►Fits well with rational policy process Fits well with rational policy process (which no longer exists?)(which no longer exists?)

Some concerns 2Some concerns 2

►Lack of an integrated theory of Lack of an integrated theory of housinghousing

►King/ClaphamKing/Clapham►FragmentationFragmentation►Lacunae eg political scienceLacunae eg political science►Reduction of expenditure on housing Reduction of expenditure on housing

researchresearch

Examination of 4 themesExamination of 4 themes

►New house buildingNew house building►Benefit reformBenefit reform►ParticipationParticipation►MutualityMutuality

New House BuildingNew House Building

►Planning reformsPlanning reforms►Abolition of targetsAbolition of targets►Neighbourhood planningNeighbourhood planning►Reduction in central government Reduction in central government

guidanceguidance►New homes bonusNew homes bonus

The research issuesThe research issues

►How much will be builtHow much will be built►Neighbourhood planning from a Neighbourhood planning from a

political science perspectivepolitical science perspective►Democratic Democratic

accountability/participation: power accountability/participation: power relations around housebuildingrelations around housebuilding

►Behavioural elementBehavioural element

The Behavioural AgendaThe Behavioural Agenda

►Localisation and changes in attitudes Localisation and changes in attitudes (nimbyism)(nimbyism)

►What is nimbyism?What is nimbyism?► Is it selfish?Is it selfish?►Relationship to meaning of home and Relationship to meaning of home and

elective belonging?elective belonging?►Power relationships?Power relationships?►Can it be changed?Can it be changed?

Benefit ReformsBenefit Reforms

► Impact on the incomes and housing Impact on the incomes and housing circumstances of claimantscircumstances of claimants

►But discourse emphasises changes in But discourse emphasises changes in attitudes and behaviourattitudes and behaviour

►Subjective well-being rather than Subjective well-being rather than economic rationalityeconomic rationality

►Psychological components of well-being Psychological components of well-being (self-esteem/positive feeling about (self-esteem/positive feeling about home)home)

Benefit ReformsBenefit Reforms

►Dynamic element of changesDynamic element of changes►PathwaysPathways►Other areas of lifeOther areas of life►AgencyAgency►Long termLong term

ParticipationParticipation

►Different frameworksDifferent frameworks►StructuresStructures►Structures/processes/objectives Structures/processes/objectives

(Cairncross et al)(Cairncross et al)►Foucault and governmentality Foucault and governmentality

(Mckee/Flint)(Mckee/Flint)►Tenants as self-regulating agents subject Tenants as self-regulating agents subject

to ethics of consumerism and duties of to ethics of consumerism and duties of citizenshipcitizenship

Some issues with participation Some issues with participation researchresearch

►Lack of integrationLack of integration►Desirable and possible?Desirable and possible?► Integrated approach to understanding Integrated approach to understanding

the relationships between tenants, the relationships between tenants, housing managers and the statehousing managers and the state

Agency in Cairncross et alAgency in Cairncross et al

►Power relationshipsPower relationships►Agency empirically determined rather Agency empirically determined rather

than assumed a priorithan assumed a priori►Rules of the game – but not examined Rules of the game – but not examined

fully fully

FoucaultFoucault

►Agents are Agents are acquiescent/sceptical/resistantacquiescent/sceptical/resistant

►But competing discourses?But competing discourses?►Range of attitudes and perceptionsRange of attitudes and perceptions►Strong emphasis on “rules of the Strong emphasis on “rules of the

game”game”► Integration possible and desirable as Integration possible and desirable as

same roots in conceptions of powersame roots in conceptions of power

The Behavioural dimensionThe Behavioural dimension

►to turn passive welfare recipients into to turn passive welfare recipients into autonomous, empowered and autonomous, empowered and responsible individuals. responsible individuals.

► Is this evil?Is this evil?►key components of self-esteem, key components of self-esteem,

positive identity and well-beingpositive identity and well-being ►Needs a psychological dimensionNeeds a psychological dimension

MutualityMutuality

►Different strand of research?Different strand of research?►Clapham et al/McKeeClapham et al/McKee►More cost-effectiveMore cost-effective►Psychological impact of mutualismPsychological impact of mutualism►The context of mutualism viz McKeeThe context of mutualism viz McKee

ConclusionConclusion

►Ditch positivism!Ditch positivism!►Limited positivismLimited positivism►Lack of integrationLack of integration►Move towards inter-disciplinarityMove towards inter-disciplinarity►Psychological and political dimensionsPsychological and political dimensions►Housing a good field and the Big Housing a good field and the Big

Society etc a fertile field.Society etc a fertile field.