Housing inequality: a systematic scoping review

Abstract

Housing inequality is far more than a housing matter. To discover how housing inequality has been used across disciplines, and how this may inform future housing research, we performed a systematic scoping review. We found that housing inequality provides multiple understandings as well as a variety of uses, for example, as a measurement tool, a conceptual device, or as subject matter. To draw together useful lessons from this conceptually diverse body of work, we identify four principle uses of ‘housing inequality’ in the literature – an outcome, an experience, a product, and a construct. These four framings offer a level of conceptual clarity for thinking about, and researching, the different expressions of housing inequality. It contributes to housing research by providing an approach for taking into account the multiple and complex roles of housing, and its distribution and impacts across society.

Keywords:

• Housing inequality
• systematic review

Acknowledgements

We convey sincere thanks to the reviewers for their many useful comments and considered suggestions, which greatly improved our manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The research was supported by the Australian Research Council (GA29043).

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Australian Research Council.

Notes on contributors

Laura James

Laura James is PhD research scholar at the Australian Centre for Housing Research at the University of Adelaide. She has a BA (Hons.) from the University of South Australia.

Lyrian Daniel

Lyrian Daniel is an Associate Professor in Architecture at UniSA Creative. Lyrian holds a PhD in Architecture from the University of Adelaide, awarded with Dean’s Commendation for Doctoral Thesis Excellence in 2016. Bridging architectural and social sciences, Dr Daniel’s research focusses on the impacts of housing disadvantage. Her recent work sheds light on the under recognised problem of cold housing in Australia.

Rebecca Bentley

Rebecca Bentley is Professor of Social Epidemiology, leader of the Healthy Housing Research Group in the Centre for Health Equity, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, and Director of the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Healthy Housing. She leads a research program exploring the role of housing and residential location in influencing health, with a particular focus on housing affordability, tenure and their measureable effects on individual health and wellbeing.

Emma Baker

Emma Baker is Professor of Housing and Director of the Australian Centre for Housing Research at the University of Adelaide. She has a PhD in Geography and BA (Hons.) from Adelaide University. Her work examines the impact of housing and location in urban and regional environments, producing academic, and policy-relevant research. Professor Baker’s recent publications include analyses of the housing implications of economic, social, and spatial change in Australia, work quantifying health effects of housing tenure and affordability, research on the effects of precarious and vulnerable housing.