Publisher's Synopsis
Provision of housing assistance has been a strong feature of state activity since the late nineteenth century. In recent decades governments have increasingly shifted from direct provision of housing to assistance delivered through cash supplements or vouchers. But what is the role of the state within this changed housing context and what do these shifts imply for our understanding of the role of the state in housing? - - This book engages with the changing discourses of government and housing assistance over the past quarter century in Europe, the USA, Australia and New Zealand. Using post-structuralist discursive theory the book demonstrates that while the empirical practices of the state have shifted in particular jurisdictions, the overall capacity of the state to determine the discursive context for housing and government action remains strong. The book argues that we need to recognise the continuing power of the state to determine housing reality, to construct housing policies and to shape housing assistance practices. -
