My second academic article on student housing coops just came out. Published in the journal Futures, it explores the different forms of learning taking place within coops. I argue that they enable students to experiment with alternative futures in practical and embodied ways. The article builds on my first publication, which chronicles the founding stories of the existing UK coops and analyzes their successes and challenges. Writing both pieces made realize that there is no existing academic research on student housing cooperatives. In this blog post, I show why this research is necessary and make the case for a repository for academic research, which I am starting to build here.
Where is the research?
I think there are several reasons for why there has not been much coop research so far:
Limited awareness: because coops are not as widespread as traditional dormitories, commercial or private housing, fewer researchers are interested in them or even know about them.
Lacking institutional support: because of the above it can be seen as a niche research topic with limited funding possibilities or institutional interests or support.
Research complexity: because these coops vary significantly in size, structure and governance, especially internationally, systematic data collection and analysis is challenging. There are also less accessible records to draw on and with high resident turn over, this research is dynamic and ever-changing.
Having begun to research coops 3 years ago, I now know that it is a fascinating and rewarding research area that brings together timely topics related to housing commercialization and the struggle against it, the marketization of Higher Education, urban politics and commoning, student activism, learning and future-making, architecture and design, diverse economies, environmental issues and more. It is also a hopeful topic, as talking, and now working with, with student cooperators and their supporters brings me in conversation with passionate individuals who are aware of the student housing crisis and are doing something about it.
Making the case for research
Coops provide affordable, secure and democratic homes to students who often struggle with unaffordable and low-quality housing. This is especially important in the current era of escalating tuition fees, rising living costs and the growing student debt crisis, which has knock-on effects on students' ability to study and often health. Coops provide an innovative model that can address these challenges, but despite their potential they remain understudied in the academic literature. There is an urgent need for systematic interdisciplinary research to explore the viability, benefits, and challenges of this alternative housing model, both to advance theoretical understanding and to provide practical guidance for policy and practice.
General knowledge about those coops among students and the public is minimal, and academic research can contribute to addressing this gap. This is especially important for policy makers, because in order to help coops flourish and grow, better regulatory, financial and tax structures need to be created. Here as well, academic research can highlight these challenges and build broader support for coops. As I have argued, in contrast to often exploitative rental markets, coops operate on a not-for-profit basis, with residents typically involved in the governance, management and maintenance of the properties. This not only reduces costs but also cultivates skills such as financial management, conflict resolution, collective decision-making and DIY among members. Coops also enhance social connectedness, can mitigate financial barriers to higher education and reduce the stress associated with unaffordable housing. Coops often adhere to principles of sustainability, such as energy efficiency, sharing and waste reduction
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Research gaps and questions
Here are some areas that academic research gaps could focus on:
Social and political impact: How do coops contribute to community building and skill development? To what extent do they constitute alternative models to commercialized student housing? And how do they fit into broader students politics and activism?
Economic viability: What are the financial challenges of setting up coops? And how can their long-term financial sustainability be ensured? What support do students need in obtaining properties?
Policy frameworks: What legal and regulatory conditions enable or hinder the establishment of student housing cooperatives? What can we learn from countries in Europe and North America where coops are more established?
Scalability and accessibility: How can coops expand while maintaining their core principles. How do they deal with the high resident turn over that comes from students being very transitory? Additionally, questions about inclusion and accessibility, particularly for marginalized groups, are important to consider.
Sustainability Practices: How effective are housing cooperatives in implementing and maintaining environmentally sustainable practices? What lessons can be extrapolated for broader housing policy?
Why does this research matter?
Academic research in this area can inform the work of diverse actors. For academics, it brings together a rich interdisciplinary area of studies that draws on disciplines ranging from anthropology (my own field), urban studies and sociology to economics, environmental scientists, architects and designers. For policymakers, it could provide evidence-based recommendations for fostering a supportive environment through zoning laws, tax incentives, or grant/loan programs. For housing activists and community advocates, research could serve as a resource for establishing and effectively managing new cooperatives and advocating for their growth. For universities, such studies highlight the role cooperatives might play in enhancing student learning and well-being. And last but not least, for students themselves this research highlights the benefits, and responsibilities, that living together in coops entails.
The way forward
To build a robust academic foundation for understanding student housing cooperatives, interdisciplinary approaches and mixed research methodologies integrating qualitative and quantitative analyses, are needed. This would ensure a holistic understanding of both lived experiences in and structural dynamics of coops. Universities, philanthropic organizations and government agencies must recognize the value of research on student housing cooperatives and provide resources to facilitate in-depth studies. Such efforts are particularly timely given the broader societal push toward sustainable, equitable solutions in education and housing. There is a clear case for this research: better understanding how coops address the pressing issues of affordability, community, and sustainability makes them a critical area for academic inquiry. By investigating their social, political, economic and environmental dimensions, scholars can contribute to a deeper understanding of how this alternative housing model works and can be supported. In doing so, academia can play an important role in contributing to addressing the housing challenges faced by students worldwide. To support this process, I have set up a living repository of academic research on student housing coops, which you can access here.
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