The housing regime of Sweden: Concurrent challenges - Part A: Aims, effects and interpretations

The aims and outcomes of Swedish post-war housing is studied by employing the concept of housing regime, which is considered to be a token of the structure (degree of competition) and scope (extension) of housing markets. The housing markets have emerged and been maintained in a fairly rigorous manner, and they have been attributed to a consistent housing and planning policy. The unswerving policy aims are impressive, but their materialisation remains doubtful. Till now, a majority of the housing stock is deprived of extensive property rights and housing production remains very concentrated. Swedish housing has been strongly ideological, justified by the common tenets of the welfare state and the conception of the home as a right. Originally this provided for a switch to large scale housing, which promoted exclusive and non-rival markets. In this study, the Swedish housing regime is interpreted in the context of bipolar elite strategy. The political left has featured itself as the only true guarantee of housing as a human right, by curbing property rights and by promoting large scale development. Supporting welfare state housing, the political right has de facto promoted the concentration of both production and wealth. Consequently, the putative stability of the Swedish welfare state seem to match the long-term strategies of the bipolar elite

ESPON in context

The continuing inability of the academic community to come up with a usable theoretical understanding of globalisation and the lack of corresponding statistical evidence, which is its result, encourages ideological speculation. Moreover, much of what passes for the international discussion on spatial planning is simply liturgical neo-liberalism, which blurs rather than clarifies the overall picture. The EU is tormented by the emergence of conflicting scenarios for European integration, namely, moving towards supranational state formation on the one hand or the intensification of cooperation between sovereign states on the other. This seems to reflect the way in which DG Regio and the other DGs are currently operating (e.g. as self-sufficient players). Much of the European work undertaken on spatial planning has been carried out in the context of intergovernmental co-operation, which is not always promoted by the Commission. The process and results of the ESPON programme can be understood in the context of globalisation and the conflicting scenarios for European integration. The most important question related to future co-operation on European spatial planning, concerns the scientific quality of the results however, not their alleged policy implications

Introduction to a discussion on the third cohesion report: Policy-relevant research and research-relevant policy

The ‘Third Report on Economic and Social Cohesion’ was published by the European Commission on the 18th of February 2004. The report is likely to have a central role in shaping policy discussions on cohesion and regional development related issues for the foreseeable future, not least because it provides a blueprint for European cohesion policy after EU-enlargement in May 2004 and for the next Structural Funds programming period beyond 2006. It is also highly relevant to academic research in this area, e.g. through the work undertaken within the ESPON research framework To highlight this important event we will have a number of experts on regional policy and cohesion commenting on the report, its findings and its academic relevance

Planning Theory for the naive?

Globalisation implies the establishment of a neo-liberal society to match the neoliberal economy. In this context planning theory seems to be reduced to pure ideology. The question thus follows, is planning theory then essentially useless for all theoretical or practical purposes? Moreover, can planning theory solve the moral dilemmas faced by planning professionals? And what does the communicative turn in planning theory stand for? Who need it: only the naïve? These are just some of the questions raised in the following introductory discussion on planning theory

A Panglossian Dilemma

Ambient intelligence is a factual phenomenon of increasing magnitude. It also invites intrigued attention as carrier of meanings. Meanings are produced in a variety of contexts, which are here the focus of attention. In order to analyze contextual narratives and their effects, concepts such as intelligence, optimization, rationale, rationality and ambience are discussed. One meaning of ambient intelligence is its indicative contribution to increased unilateral control of the many by the few. Ethical guidelines may be part of prevailing rhetoric, but their success as a self-controlling factor seems fairly unrealistic. Moral confusion is not only related to artificial intelligence, but to the very essence of modern society

Hyvät kaupat - Kivijalka ja Ostari rakennemuutoksessa

Julkaisussa tarkastellaan kaupan rakennemuutosta ja sen tulevaisuuden mahdollisuuksia toisiaan täydentävistä näkökulmista. Sekä keskustan kivijalkaliikkeissä että vanhoissa esikaupunkialueiden ostoskeskuksissa on kysymys lähipalveluista, joiden tarve lisääntyy tulevaisuudessa monesta syystä