In this essay Keith Jacobs considers the relevance of Colin Ward’s work for addressing contemporary housing challenges. It is claimed that Ward’s writings on housing offer both a trenchant critique of managerially inspired policies and a set of political interventions that merit consideration.

Keith Jacobs is an Emeritus Professor in the School of Social Sciences at the University of Tasmania. His two most recent publications are: ‘’Historical sensibility’ and its relevance for contemporary housing studies’ 10.4337/9781800375970.00010 and ‘Political economy perspectives and their relevance for contemporary housing studies’ (coauthored with R. Atkinson and D. Warr) 10.1080/02673037.2024.2359411.

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