The objective of our working group is to explore the role that property plays in urban conflicts over the use of urban space. General conflicts and recent developments suggest that urban societies are challenged by a variety of urgent issues, such as housing shortages, land use conflicts, and sustainability transformation. But how will these challenges be resolved? From a conflict theory perspective, we suggest that the distribution, access and use of urban space elicit specific interests depending on the social position of the actors involved. Not all urban voices are equally heard. We assume that ownership, whether of land, residential or commercial property, is associated with an increase in claims and opportunities to have a voice. Our focus is not on distributional outcomes and their structural causes (such as the privatisation of public housing), but rather on the interests and goals that drive and motivate actors in practical settings (such as the implementation of the Housing First programme), reflecting policy frameworks and neoliberal doctrines.
In order to approach this topic from our three perspectives (urban sociology, social work, sociology of inequality), regular meetings are planned. The purpose of these meetings is twofold: first, to discuss the different methodological approaches to systematising complementary heuristics, and second, to link and deepen our themes to concretise future applications for third-party funding. Our plans include a workshop in Essen with international guests, participation in national and international conferences, and the establishment of long-term collaborations. Networking with existing institutions of urban research in the Ruhr area is also planned, as well as a joint publication. Finally, we consider integrating our working group’s activities into teaching as well as the employment of student assistants to support us.
Dr des. Philipp Kadelke
TU Dortmund University | Faculty of Social Sciences | Department of Sociology with Focus on Social Inequalities
E-mail: philipp.kadelke@tu-dortmund.de
Philipp Kadelke works as a research assistant at the Chair of Sociology with a focus on social inequalities (Prof. Dr Nicole Burzan). His research focuses on housing, including aspects such as housing shortages, housing conditions and housing policy. In this context, he also addresses topics such as wealth, conflict and mentalities. In addition, Philipp Kadelke is well versed in research on right-wing populism. His work is characterised by a keen interest in empirical analysis of social phenomena. Philipp Kadelke is currently involved in a third-party funded mixed-methods project on small-scale landlords in Germany. He is investigating the circumstances of letting, (patterns of) action in letting practices, and (housing) policy attitudes.
Website
https://su.sowi.tu-dortmund.de/professur/team/philipp-kadelke-ma
Dr Jenny Künkel
University of Duisburg-Essen | Faculty of Education | Institute of Social Work and Social Policy
E-mail: Jenny.kuenkel@uni-due.de
Jenny Künkel is a postdoc lecturer at the Institute of Social Work and Social Policy of the University of Duisburg-Essen. She graduated in human geography from Frankfurt University and has worked as postdoc researcher at the renowned Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique in Bordeaux and as substitute professor in urban geography at the University of Dresden. Her research focus is on conflicts and marginalisation, especially in the context of neoliberalisation. Her work includes studies on sex work, drug consumption, policing, precarious migration, and social movements.
Website
Dr Nina Schuster
TU Dortmund University | Faculty of Spatial Planning | Department of Urban and Regional Sociology
E-mail: nina.schuster@tu-dortmund.de
Nina Schuster is a sociologist working at the Faculty of Spatial Planning at TU Dortmund University (on leave in the winter semester 2024/25). Her teaching and research focus on urban and cultural sociology, social inequality and difference, social conflicts and practices, feminist and queer theory as well as qualitative research methods. From 2018 to 2021, she conducted her own research project on conflicts and the everyday negotiation of difference in urban allotment gardens, funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). The results have been published recently in the monography ‘Grüne Öffentlichkeiten. Soziales Miteinander in städtischen Kleingärten’ (transcript 2024). Currently, she is working as an interim professor for urban and regional sociology at HafenCity University Hamburg; in 2022 she was a visiting professor at TU Wien. She is co-founder and member of the editorial collective of ‘sub\urban. zeitschrift für kritische stadtforschung’ (www.zeitschrift-suburban.de).
Website
https://soz.raumplanung.tu-dortmund.de/team/mitarbeiterinnen/schuster