Just housing: Transdisciplinary perspectives from theology and the built environment

Abstract

In cities worldwide, housing is precarious. Local socio-economic environments can exacerbate existing social differences and exclusions, but can also contribute to alleviate these differences, and to foster high levels of social inclusion. This article introduces a special collection of articles asking how theology should contribute theologically to address the challenges of housing and human settlements. It derives from an assertion that theology and reflection on the built environment should engage each other, made concrete in this collection through exploring issues of housing justice. We explore the question of housing justice with reference to four related questions: (1) How can urban planning interventions enhance affordable, sustainable and aesthetically appealing housing for all? (2) What are the political, economic and legal conditions impacting on housing justice, and how can theologians engage in these spaces? (3) How can exclusionary or precarious conditions be addressed architecturally to contribute to ecological sustainability, aesthetics and affordability? (4) What are the dominant social imaginaries that mediate housing and settlement development, and how can theologians help foster inclusive and just social imaginaries? Examples from different countries, cities and socio-cultural contexts are introduced and reflected upon, seeking to identify conditions that enable affordable, sustainable and aesthetically attractive housing in an unequal and precarious world.

Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The article points out the relevance of a theological perspective on the housing problem. At the same time, the implications for architecture, urban planning and politics are addressed.