The New Residential Landscapes of Post-socialist Cities: Between State and Market

The New Residential Landscapes of Post-socialist Cities: Between State and Market
 
Date: 27-28 May 2013
Location: Södertörns högskola, Stockholm, Sweden

The Centre for Baltic and East European Studies (CBEES) at  Södertörns University, Stockholm, and the East European Housing & Urban Policy Working Group of the European Network of Housing Research  invite proposals for a  multi-disciplinary conference on the topic of New Residential Landscapes of Post-Socialist Cities.

This research workshop aims at exploring the phenomenon of change in the residential landscapes of post-socialist cities. The crisis that started in the mortgage markets of the United States in 2007–2008 has had dramatic and sustained impacts on people and housing systems throughout the world. These complex and interlinked crises exposed vulnerabilities of housing markets and low income households, pointing to the need to build resilience through better housing policy tools, specifically in transition economies. The issues are particularly important as the housing sector has been rapidly transformed in the early years of the transition to markets with most of the reform efforts emphasizing deregulation of house prices, privatization and private sector provision. Housing reforms have proceeded with ‘trial and error’ promoting neoliberal policies of deregulation in housing finance, market-based access to housing services, devolution of housing responsibilities to municipalities and experimentation with fiscal programs promoting homeownership.

This  market-based transformation in the housing sector has exacerbated the initial differences in housing conditions across the region leading to deterioration of housing infrastructure, growth of substandard housing and slum formation.  As a result, the previous shortage of housing has been replaced by a shortage of affordable housing. In spatial terms, housing market processes are reshaping existing neighbourhoods with new housing targeting the elites, often in gated communities, while the urban poor are left behind in low quality deteriorating housing estates or informal housing. Affordability of housing remains the fastest-growing and most pervasive housing challenge.

Within this context, the workshop will address the following research issues that have received limited attention in the literature, preferably in a comparative perspective:

1. Analysis of housing policy instruments—regulatory, institutional, financial/fiscal—in select countries/cities and their impact on access to affordable housing;
2. Evaluation of housing market processes in select cities with a focus on residential segregation and its spatial manifestations (e.g. gated communities, exclusion in peripheral housing estates, etc.);
3. Evaluation of pro-poor housing policies targeting the provision of new rental housing, housing allowances and social assistance for slum residents;

4. Analysis of housing institutions engaged in affordable housing provision, their new roles and responsibilities, and mode of operation (path dependent or path breaking) shaping a diverse political and social landscape.

SELECTION PROCESS & DEADLINES
1. Abstracts for conference papers (500-word, MS-Word format) need to be sent to conference co-chairs by February 25, 2013.

Approximately 10 submissions will be accepted for presentations. Evaluation will be based on the clarity of the abstract, the quality of the research described, and its relevance to the conference themes.

2. All proposals will undergo an evaluation process by reviewers chosen for their thematic expertise. Authors will be notified of submission status on or before March 10, 2013.

3. The authors of successful proposals will develop their research paper (5-6,000 words) to be submitted to conference organisers by May 1, 2013 for review and inclusion in conference proceedings. All papers will have a designated discussant. Papers will be included in a thematic peer-reviewed international journal to be published after the conference.

CONFERENCE FEES & FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Participation in the conference is free of charge. CBEES at Södertörns University will provide funding to defray travel and accommodation costs for keynote speakers and selected presenters.

The conference co-chairs are:
Dr Sasha Tsenkova, University of Calgary (tsenkova@ucalgary.ca) and Dr Dominika Polanska, Södertörns University/CBEES (dominika.polanska@sh.se)4. Analysis of housing institutions engaged in affordable housing provision, their new roles and responsibilities, and mode of operation (path dependent or path breaking) shaping a diverse political and social landscape.

SELECTION PROCESS & DEADLINES
1. Abstracts for conference papers (500-word, MS-Word format) need to be sent to conference co-chairs by February 25, 2013.

Approximately 10 submissions will be accepted for presentations. Evaluation will be based on the clarity of the abstract, the quality of the research described, and its relevance to the conference themes.

2. All proposals will undergo an evaluation process by reviewers chosen for their thematic expertise. Authors will be notified of submission status on or before March 10, 2013.

3. The authors of successful proposals will develop their research paper (5-6,000 words) to be submitted to conference organisers by May 1, 2013 for review and inclusion in conference proceedings. All papers will have a designated discussant. Papers will be included in a thematic peer-reviewed international journal to be published after the conference.

CONFERENCE FEES & FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Participation in the conference is free of charge. CBEES at Södertörns University will provide funding to defray travel and accommodation costs for keynote speakers and selected presenters.

The conference co-chairs are:
Dr Sasha Tsenkova, University of Calgary (tsenkova@ucalgary.ca) and Dr Dominika Polanska, Södertörns University/CBEES (dominika.polanska@sh.se)