ABSTRACT

This article is a comment on Mark Stephen’s article, “How housing systems are changing and why: a critique of Kemeny’s theory of housing regimes”, in this issue of Housing, Theory and Society. It distinguishes between three types of linked explanations – an explanatory definition of a housing system; an historical explanation of how a housing system develops; and, a critical explanation which critiques the use and abuse of power. These distinctions are necessary if we are develop an adequate understanding of how housing systems work. The article then expands on first type of explanation as one which seeks to develop an integrated comprehensive heuristic and notes that the theory of housing-welfare regimes focuses on one particular technological aspect (tenure) of the housing system. Finally, in response to Mark Stephen’s note that “one of the most enduring challenges in housing studies” is to understand “how housing systems function and change”, the article concludes by summarily expanding this single challenge into eight enduring challenges in housing studies by distinguishing different stages in both research and implementation.

摘要

本文是对马克·史蒂芬（Mark Stephen）的文章“住房系统如何变化以及为什么：对凯梅尼的住房制度理论的批评”的评论，在本期《住房，理论与社会》中。它区分了三种类型的链接说明–住房系统的说明性定义；关于住房制度如何发展的历史解释；以及批评使用和滥用权力的批判性解释。如果我们对住房系统的工作方式有足够的了解，那么这些区别是必要的。然后，本文扩展了第一种解释，以寻求发展一种综合的综合启发法，并指出住房福利制度的理论侧重于住房系统的一个特定技术方面（任期）。最后，针对马克·斯蒂芬（Mark Stephen）的注释，“住房研究中最持久的挑战之一”是了解“住房系统如何运作和变化”，