The Right to Adequate Housing: A Case Study of the Social Housing Budget in Northern Ireland

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dayna Rodger ◽  
Nicola Callaghan ◽  
Craig Thomson

Purpose Sustainably addressing the social and economic demands from an ageing population is a major global challenge, with significant implications for policy and practice. This is resultant of the increasing demand for housing adaptations to prevent increased pressure upon acute health services. Through the lens of institutional theory, this paper aims to explore the levels of joined-up retrofit practice within a Scottish social housing provider, under a constructivist approach. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory single case study of a Scottish local authority was undertaken. Within this, nine key stakeholders were interviewed, taking a hierarchical approach, from director to repair and maintenance staff. Results were analysed by using Braun and Clarke’s six stages of thematic analysis. Findings There is a need for greater levels of integration within retrofit practice to not only improve the health and well-being of the older population but also increase efficiency and economic savings within public services. Currently, there are key issues surrounding silo-based decision-making, poor data infrastructure, power struggles and a dereliction of built environment knowledge and expertise, preventing both internal and external collaboration. However, housing, energy and health have interlinking agendas which are integral to achieving ageing in place. Therefore, there must be system-wide recognition of the potential benefits of improved cross-sector collaboration, preventing unintended consequences whilst providing socioeconomic outcomes. Originality/value This research provides a new perspective surrounding retrofit practice within the context of an ageing population. It highlights the requirement for improved cross sector collaboration and the social and economic cost of poor quality practice.


2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn Bewley ◽  
Thomas Schneider

ABSTRACT This paper reports the findings of a case study conducted to learn about the information, actors, actions, and processes involved in energy-efficiency investment decisions in the social-housing sector. These decisions draw on environmental, social, and economic factors, which are studied from a “triple bottom line” (TBL) accounting perspective. The quantitative methods we use rely on Levels I, II, and III fair-value measures similar to those used in financial accounting. The qualitative methods rely primarily on interviews conducted and transcribed by the researchers. Our main findings show that a pure financial bottom-line approach would not fully indicate the overall desirability of the type of energy-efficiency investment undertaken in this case. By factoring in other quantitative and qualitative outcomes drawn from the research methods applied, a different conclusion may be reached. Data Availability: Available upon request from the authors.


2012 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Massimo Bricocoli ◽  
Elena Marchigiani

Significant ageing processes are affecting many regions across Europe and are changing the social and spatial profile of cities. In Trieste, Italy, a joint initiative by the public Health Agency and the Social Housing Agency has developed a programme targeting conditions that allow people to age at home. The outcomes of the programme stress the need to redesign and reorganise the living environment as a way to oppose to the institutionalisation of older people in specialised nursing homes. Based on intensive field work, this contribution presents and discusses the original and innovative inputs that the case study is offering to the Italian and European debate.


2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 405-416
Author(s):  
Joo Young Kim ◽  
Young Ook Kim

This study aimed to investigate the association of spatial configuration with social interaction for elderly. A social housing in Seoul was selected for the case study. Using space syntax and social network analysis, the association was examined statistically. This research employed an integration indicator which is most closely related to space use pattern. Questionnaire and interview surveys were conducted to illustrate the pattern of social network. Using the collected data, NetMiner was utilized to conduct a quantitative analysis. Degree, closeness and betweenness indicators were employed to measure relationships in these networks and between individuals. The characteristics of the association established by the statistical analysis between spatial network of housing estate and social network of elderly were discussed. Our results show that spatial network properties can explain characteristics of social network. The accessibility of residential spaces for elderly individuals in social housing apartment complex has an effect on the strength of the social network with neighbours. Also, analysis of the spatial configuration accessibility for the elderly population with integration values has illustrated that the result was opposite to the general theory that ‘the locations with high accessibility could foster more interactions’. Our findings have suggested that we can have a better knowledge to foster more social network among elderly by planning improved spatial network.


2015 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-53
Author(s):  
Romana Xerez

How does social capital matter to the creation of neighbourhood networks in cities? Social housing in Portugal is some times viewed as a single architectural and building environment development failure. This article discusses a relevant Portuguese urban planning landscape and aims to contribute to the discussion of one of its main purpose – the social housing experiment. The author discusses the case of this landscape as urban policy-making and evaluates its implementation and relevance. She hypothesizes that “neighbourhood units” have become a relevant case in the context of neighbourhood planning and housing social-mix in Lisbon. Firstly, she uses theoretical arguments and findings to discuss an urban experiment - Alvalade Landscape. Secondly, the paper analyses relevant data that demonstrates its links to the housing policies thus enriching the urban design. The article offers evidence from the Alvalade Landscape case study in Lisbon of theoretical and empirical community ties in the 1940s. Thirdly, the paper identifies some elements such as community units, social mix, sidewalks, and that have an impact on neighbourhood design as well as people’s lives. The findings show that supportive neighbour ties provide important network resources (social capital) concerning daily life, illness, support or financial aid. Finally, the paper suggests the relevance that social neighbourhood community has in housing programs and policies.


2021 ◽  
pp. 3-31
Author(s):  
Richard Martin

This chapter introduces the reader to the book’s central endeavour: to make sense of, and critically examine, the social and cultural dynamics that animate human rights law in contemporary policing. The chapter introduces the reader to the general and specific context in which this project takes place. It begins by drawing attention to the emergence of human rights as a normative vision and regulatory basis for police reform across the world and considering the issues that arise from this phenomenon for scholars of human rights and criminal justice. The chapter proceeds to describe and explain the book’s case study of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, situating the study within the country’s post-conflict society, before summarizing how the book develops across its nine substantive chapters.


1979 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 645-671 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Freeden

The issues raised by eugenics are of more than passing interest for the student of political thought. In itself a minor offshoot of turn-of-the-century socio-biological thought which never achieved ideological ‘take-off’ in terms of influence or circulation, there was certainly more in eugenics than nowadays meets the eye. The following pages propose to depart from the over-simplistic identification of eugenics, as political theory, with racism or ultra-conservatism and to offer instead two alternative modes of interpretation. On the one hand, eugenics will be portrayed as an exploratory avenue of the social-reformist tendencies of early-twentieth-century British political thought. On the other, it will serve as a case-study illustrating the complexity and overlapping which characterize most modern ideologies. While recognizing, of course, the appeal of eugenics for the ‘right’, a central question pervading the forthcoming analysis will be the attraction it had for progressives of liberal and socialist persuasions, with the ultimate aim of discovering the fundamental affinities the ‘left’ had, and may still have, with this type of thinking.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 97-107
Author(s):  
Ramona PURA

The CJRAE institution is designed to ensure the quality of specific educational services provided to childern, teachers, parents and to allow everyone’s access to education by providing the necessary assistance. This article’s purpose is to determin the role of the social worker in addiction preventing programs of The Institution of Resourses and Educational Asistence of Cluj county (CJRAE Cluj). The study adopted a qualitative research design using the case study of an addiction preventing program runned in the Cluj county schools, between years 2017 and 2018. The social worker can have an important impact in school and social integration of children, as he has the abilities and competencies to identify the right resources for intervention; more than this, the job description of social worker empolyee in CRJAE, shows that they have the attribution to develop together with other educational partners useful programs for children, schools and comunity. That’s why, we have to know if and how the social worker contributes in these addiction prevention programs.


Author(s):  
MIKHAIL BANDO

Introduction: the article is devoted to the problem of realization of the principle of social equity in the rules regulating housing relations. This problem is very relevant for the modern Russian society in which the housing problem is not solved. Though legal mechanisms in these relations also depend from economic but high-quality legal regulation also plays a serious role. The research objective is to check the hypothesis of existence of the principle of social equity in the Russian law, its involvement in regulation of the housing relations and insufficient realization on the example of some institutes. Methods: the research is based on a dialectic method, such logical methods as analysis, synthesis, deduction and also a system method. Analysis: there is a reasoning about existence of the principle of legal certainty in legal regulation and also the principles which are caused by essential qualities of the adjustable relations in the research. One of such principles is the principle of social equity. Its manifestation in regulation of the housing relations is analyzed. It is established that though this principle isn’t enshrined directly in the text of the law but it is implemented in court practice. In the housing law this principle is closely connected with category «the right to adequate housing». The need for the housing as a condition of physical existence of a person and the need for the housing of the quality providing the social dignity of a person are analyzed. The institute of rent of social housing along with the property can serve as the appropriate instrument of providing people with adequate housing, but isn’t deprived of essential shortcomings. Results: specific civil regulation of the housing relations does not fully consider the principle of social equity. Shortcomings of the institute of rent of social housing are revealed and also options of mitigation of these shortcomings (use of mechanisms of the tort liability and a so-called judicial penalty) are offered.


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