News archive - [Event Announcement & Call for papers] Tirana ENHR2017 Conference

The theme of the ENHR2017 conference, which will take place on 4-6 of September 2017 in Tirana is: “Affordable Housing for All! – Redefining the Roles of Public and Private Sectors”. The organisers are ENHR and Polis university.

Letter from Organisers:

Dear Colleagues,

After 14 years we will meet again in Tirana for the ENHR conference and for this we are grateful to the Coordinating Committee that believed again on the same group that organized the conference in 2003.

You will find a transformed urban context of Tirana; you may even not be able to find places that you have previously visited. This is unusual for a city in a developed country of Europe, where preservation of history keeps almost unchanged the core of the city. This is common for the capital city of a country in constant transformation that in 25 years passed from a self-isolation status into an open country, member of NATO and future member of European Union; that passed from dramatic social, economic and political events of the 90s, towards social stabilization and economic growth. However, now that the speed of urbanization, economic growth and real estate booming has peaked down, several question marks are raised to society and authorities on how to further address housing and developmental issues with a sensitiveness on improving quality of life of people, by reaching comparable housing and urban standards of other regional and European cities.

The capital Tirana is an interesting case, often identified as one of the most vital housing and urban laboratories of Western Balkans and former “Eastern-Europe”. The creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of people in Tirana, is combined with very interesting leadership of its own mayors, associated with a vivid public debate on issues of city development, where housing and related services has dominated the public agenda. Today, Tirana faces a contradiction that needs to be addressed carefully: a significant overproduction of unaffordable housing stock, vs. growing needs of homeless and people in need for affordable housing.

The theme of the ENHR2017 conference is: “Affordable Housing for All! – Redefining the Roles of Public and Private Sectors”.

Housing affordability has become a growing problem after the 2008 financial and economic crisis. Policy makers at all levels: global, national, regional, municipal, or at community associations are striving to respond to the growing issue of affordable housing for all. The questions if housing is a basic need, a right, an entitlement, a public good, or is it just a consumer choice, a commodity or an investment within the free market – still remain a dichotomy of politicians on the left and right sides. There is a general agreement that everyone should have a decent and affordable home but the ways to reach this goal are still unclear.

This conference will be a perfect platform to open a local and European debate with practical values that goes beyond academic and scientific purposes and will benefit national agenda and the whole Europe.

We are looking forward to welcoming you in Tirana

On behalf of the local organizing committee,

Sincerely,

Besnik Aliaj and Doris Andoni

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The call for papers is currently open and abstracts must be submitted under the following themes which corresponds to an ENHR Working Group and Workshop:

Disadvantaged Urban Neighbourhoods and Communities (Previously: Poverty Neighbourhoods)

East European Housing & Urban Policy

Energy Efficiency and Environmental Sustainability of Housing

Housing and Family Dynamics

Housing & Living Conditions  of Ageing Populations

Housing and Urban Sustainability

Housing Economics

Housing Finance

Housing in Developing Countries

Housing Law (previously: Legal Aspects of Residence and Rights)

Independent Living and Housing (previously: Disability and Housing)

Land Markets and Housing Policy

Residential Buildings  and Architectural Design

Residential Context of Health

Residential Environments  and People

Social Housing: Institutions, Organisations and Governance

Welfare Policy, Homelessness,  and Social Exclusion

Collaborative Housing

Southern European Housing

Housing Market Dynamics

IMPORTANT DATES

  • Deadline for abstract submissions: 12/04/2017
  • Notification of Abstract Acceptance: /05/2017
  • Deadline to submit a full paper: 10/06/2017
  • Deadline to submit final for Bengt Turner Award (TBD): 10/06/2017

If you have any further questions or comments please contact: ENHR2017 Organising team

Geographical focus
  • Albania
  • International; Other
  • Western Balkans
Scientifc field / Thematic focus
  • Cross-thematic/Interdisciplinary

Entry created by Ines Marinkovic on February 27, 2017
Modified on February 27, 2017