Institutions and Social Change: implementing co-operative housing and environmentally sustainable development at Christie Walk

Susan McClean; Jenny Onyx

doi:10.5130/ccs.v1i3.1095

PDF

Published: Sep 30, 2009

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5130/ccs.v1i3.1095

Keywords:

civil society, co-operative housing, environmental sustainability, institutions, social capital, active citizenship

Susan McClean

University of Technology Sydney

Jenny Onyx

University of Technology Sydney

Abstract

How can institutions contribute to the building of civil society in the twenty- first century? It is clear that the old laissez-faire approach and the more recent neo-conservative reliance on the market have failed to deliver housing for many people. On the other hand the state-based welfare housing model espoused by the Australian Labor Party over the twentieth century has also been beset by problems. Social alienation, and the crisis in affordable housing make the case that individualist approaches to urban living are not working. More communal solutions are needed - solutions attuned to a complex view of civil society outlined by Michael Edwards' tripartite definition. At the same time the onset of global warming now prompts Australians to create more environmentally sustainable ways of living. Addressing the theme of responsibility, this paper focuses on citizenship in its broader environmental, social and active forms. It analyses interviews and documentary evidence concerning the planning and development of Christie Walk, an innovative, medium density eco-city development in Adelaide. The investigation reveals the effects of some Australian institutions on residents' efforts to live socially and environmentally sustainable lives in an urban environment. The paper offers transdisciplinary research and analysis, linking the fields of history, urban housing, community development and environmental theory.

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 3 (2009)

Section

Articles (refereed)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Copyright Notice

Authors who submit articles to this journal from 31st March 2014 for publication, agree to the following terms:

a) Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share and adapt the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.

b) Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.

c) Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Open Access Citation Advantage Service). Where authors include such a work in an institutional repository or on their website (ie. a copy of a work which has been published in a UTS ePRESS journal, or a pre-print or post-print version of that work), we request that they include a statement that acknowledges the UTS ePRESS publication including the name of the journal, the volume number and a web-link to the journal item.

d) Authors should be aware that the Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) License permits readers to share (copy and redistribute the work in any medium or format) and adapt (remix, transform, and build upon the work) for any purpose, even commercially, provided they also give appropriate credit to the work, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. They may do these things in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests you or your publisher endorses their use.

Authors submitting articles to UTSePress publications agree to assign a limited license to UTSePress if and when the manuscript is accepted for publication. This license allows UTSePress to publish a manuscript in a given issue. Articles published by UTSePress are protected by copyright which is retained by the authors who assert their moral rights. Authors control translation and reproduction rights to their works published by UTSePress. UTSePress publications are copyright and all rights are reserved worldwide. Downloads of specific portions of them are permitted for personal use only, not for commercial use or resale. Permissions to reprint or use any materials should be directed to UTSePress.

Author Biography

Susan McClean, University of Technology Sydney

Susan McClean's interests are grounded in cultural history and public history. She completed her doctorate in 2006, and graduated in 2007. She is writing and publishing on that topic: the history of the preservation movement (the built environment) in NSW in the first half of the twentieth century, and its relationship to both modernity and national identity. Susan's research interests in the history and sociology of other social movements have developed from her doctoral work, along with an interest in their relationship to civil society. She is currently investigating social capital, as well as the emergence of eco-city movements and cohousing projects across Australia and will produce a joint paper on this at the 4Rs Conference. Susan is employed in the School of Management as a researcher for Prof Jenny Onyx and in the Faculty of Humanities as a casual lecturer and tutor.

Article Sidebar

Main Article Content

Abstract

Article Details

Susan McClean, University of Technology Sydney