The Principles of Housing is an engaging and discursive introduction to the key topics within housing studies. Whereas many books get bogged down in country-specific policy or small innovations, this book argues that the fundamental concepts of what we call housing are relatively stable and unchangeable. By focusing on universal principles, the book provides an introduction to housing that can be used by students world-wide.
The book consists of a series of short chapters relating to the key issues of housing, such as borrowing, choice, finance, government, need, reform and welfare. Each chapter is designed to be a starting point for a wider conversation, with discussion questions and a number of think pieces and international case studies to help students connect these general principles to their own surroundings.
Written by renowned housing expert Peter King, The Principles of Housing succeeds in being accessible and engaging without shying away from the complexities of housing issues. The book will be invaluable to students on housing-related courses across finance, real estate, planning, development, politics and sociology subjects. The book would also be useful to housing professionals and policy makers aiming to expand their understanding of housing issues.
Introduction, Part I: The Basics, 1. Housing and Home, 2. Quality and Access, 3. The Past, 4. The Future, 5. Ideology, Part II: Concepts, 6. Social Justice, 7. Need, 8. Choice, 9. Rights, 10. Responsibility, Part III: Tenure, 11. Owner Occupation, 12. Property Rights, 13. Desire, 14. Social Housing, 15. Private Renting, Part IV: Welfare, 16. Welfare, 17. Poverty, 18. Fairness, 19. Inequality, 20. Homelessness, 21. Crisis, Part V: Money, 22. Sources of Finance, 23. Markets, 24. Rent, 25. Housing Allowances, 26. Affordability, 27. Boom and Bust, 28. Borrowing, Part VI: Control, 29. Control, 30. Government, 31. Accountability, 32. Reform, Part VII: Buildings, 33. Development, 34. Planning, 35. Architecture, 36. Space and Place, Conclusions
Biography
Peter King has 25 years’ experience of teaching housing issues and is the author of 18 books. He is currently a Reader in Social Thought at De Montfort University, UK
"This text is a useful resource for academics, both for teaching Housing Studies, and for taking a ‘step back’ and considering broader conceptual issues around particular problems. As an introductory text it provides the basis for discussions around topics, and probing questions to follow up with. This conceptual and didactic approach makes the book a useful resource within the Housing Studies discipline, and one that will not age quickly. It is this characteristic that makes the book an insightful and useful contribution to the Housing Studies discipline; we have a new resource which enables us to take a conceptual approach to analysing current and future policy developments in housing." Helen Taylor, Department of Applied Community Sciences, Cardiff Metropolitan University, UK
