Researchers will compare experiences across cities in India, China and South Africa, focusing on the everyday relationship between the state and residents. What does the state expect from people as housing beneficiaries? And how do residents themselves advocate for the services, infrastructure and social facilities they need? At the heart of the project is the idea of urban citizenship: moving beyond seeing people simply as recipients of housing and instead recognising them as active participants in the development of the city.
This project is based at the University of Glasgow and Prof. Glyn Williams from the department is co-leading this with Prof. Paula Meth. The project is founded by Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and will last from 1 May 2026 to 31 October 2028.
Read more about the project on the University of Glasgow's website
Photo: Yijie Boulevard, a relocation settlement in Dujiangyan city, Sichuan province, China. By Zheng Wang.
New project launched
“From Housing Beneficiaries to Urban Citizens?” explores what happens to people when they move into state-supported housing in rapidly urbanising parts of the world. State-sponsored housing can provide people with safer and more dignified living conditions, but relocation can also disrupt social networks and leave residents struggling with inadequate services, infrastructure or declining housing conditions. The project asks whether giving residents a more active role in shaping their neighbourhoods can help create more socially inclusive and sustainable housing.