ReHousIn in dialogue: Contributing to the debate on housing inequalities and green justice
Throughout the past year, ReHousIn researchers have actively contributed to key academic discussions on housing inequalities, green transition policies, and urban justice, engaging with scholars and policymakers across different European contexts. Among the many events where the project was presented, two conferences stood out for their focus on equitable housing and sustainability challenges: the 22nd Annual Swiss Geoscience Meeting and Storbykonferansen, The Urban Research Conference.
Presenting ReHousIn at the Swiss Geoscience Meeting
At the Swiss Geoscience Meeting, the first-ever symposium on "Housing in and Beyond Switzerland" provided an opportunity to introduce ReHousIn’s research to a broad audience of scholars. Jennifer Duyne Barenstein and Hannah Widmer (ETH Zürich) presented the project's objectives, particularly focusing on potential conflicts between environmental policies and access to adequate and affordable housing.
Their presentation explored how different tenure structures impact housing costs and accessibility, comparing Switzerland — where tenants form the majority and densification is legally required — with Italy and the UK. Discussions with fellow researchers further highlighted themes relevant to ReHousIn, such as urban heat inequalities, displacement patterns after large-scale renovations, and challenges in housing access for different socio-economic groups. The exchange reinforced the importance of cross-country comparisons in understanding housing inequalities, offering insights that will be valuable for the project’s ongoing work.
Green Justice at Storbykonferansen
In Norway, ReHousIn played a significant role in Storbykonferansen (The Urban Research Conference), a key event that brought together around 100 researchers and practitioners to discuss “Equitable Urban Futures”. The conference provided a platform to reflect on the challenges of creating just, sustainable cities in the context of urban inequality and segregation.
Several ReHousIn researchers contributed to these discussions:
- Isabelle Anguelovski (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona) delivered a keynote titled "Justice, Resilience, and Wellbeing in the Green City," highlighting the unintended consequences of urban greening, such as green gentrification, and showcasing policy tools and civic actions for fairer urban transitions.
- Roberta Cucca (Norwegian University of Life Sciences) presented a keynote on "Housing Inequalities in the Green Transition: How Context Matters", using insights from ReHousIn to examine how governance, economic trends, and local awareness shape urban sustainability and socio-spatial justice, with a particular focus on Oslo.
- Rebecca Cavicchia and Roberta Cucca (NMBU), alongside Hannah Ander and Per Gunnar Røe (University of Oslo), organised a panel on green and ecological gentrification, discussing the theoretical and methodological challenges of studying displacement and inequalities in the green transition.
Bringing ReHousIn’s research into the broader debate
Both conferences underscored the growing interest in housing inequalities and environmental justice across different European contexts. The discussions reinforced the need to critically assess how sustainability policies impact housing affordability and accessibility, and how policymakers can design more inclusive housing strategies in the green transition.
For ReHousIn, these engagements provided valuable opportunities to share emerging findings, exchange insights with leading experts, and strengthen connections with research networks such as the “Housing in and Beyond Switzerland” group and the “Responsible City” project. These two conferences are among several where ReHousIn researchers have presented their findings, helping to shape academic and policy discussions on fair and sustainable housing policies across Europe.
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