New article on Political Science as the Missing Link in Housing Studies

A new article by Bo Bengtsson in Housing, Theory & Society

2009 Political Science as the Missing Link in Housing Studies, Vol. 26, Issue 1, pp. 10-25.

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.