Making Progress in Housing: A Framework for Collaborative Research

This book presents a new approach to housing research, one that is relevant to all the social sciences.

Housing research is diverse and operates across many disciplines, approaches and methods making collaboration difficult. This book outlines a methodological framework that enables researchers from many different fields to collaborate in solving complex and seemingly intractable housing problems. It shows how we can make progress in housing research and deliver better housing outcomes through an integrated approach.

Drawing on the work of renowned Canadian methodologist, philosopher, theologian and economist, Bernard Lonergan (1904–1984), McNelis outlines a framework for collaborative research: Functional Collaboration. This new form of collaboration divides up the work of housing research into functional specialties. These distinguish eight inter-related questions that arise in the process of moving from the current housing situation through to providing practical advice to decision-makers. To answer each question a different method is required. Making progress in housing is the result of finding new answers to this complete set of eight inter-related questions.

This approach to collaboration opens up a new discourse on method in housing and social research as well as new debates on progress and the nature of science.

Sean McNelis has over 30 years’ experience in housing management, housing policy and housing research. He is a research fellow at The Swinburne Institute for Social Research, Swinburne University of Technology, Australia.