Housing and urban research have broad sets of methodological traditions and data sources involving a wide range of quantitative and qualitative approaches. In this plenary session we will raise questions like: Do we need to refine and renew our methods and sources of data? If so, how? Which potential may be found in exploring mixed methods? We live in a time when the legitimacy of research is being questioned, and the credibility of research-based knowledge is being challenged. What can we, as researchers, do to strengthen credibility and legitimacy? Which methodological principles and guidelines are particularly important? Which strategies should we avoid? And how can we help convey the importance of verifiable and systematic knowledge development to policymakers and the public?

Chair:

Richard Ronald

Speakers:
Nils Hertting, Uppsala University, Sweden
Oana Druta, Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands
David Manley, University of Bristol, United Kingdom
Richard Ronald, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands

Field trip 1: Oslo residents’ recreation and recreational opportunities

We visit is a popular recreational area, by Metro line 5 to Sognsvann. Opportunities for swimming or a walk along the lake. We will talk about the Sognsvann Line (urban expansion), the removal of the lake as a drinking water source, Oslo residents’ use of the area, and its role as a starting point for hikes in the forest.

Field trip 2: Half of Oslo is forest

The field trip starts with Metro line 1 to Frognerseteren. There we will enjoy coffee and buns, and a great panorama view of Oslo city. Our guide will tell us the history of the Holmenkollen line, and about Nordmarka, a forested region which makes up the northern part of Oslo.

Field trip 3: Oslo – from medieval town (by the fjord) to modern waterfront city in Bjørvika

Bjørvika is a neighbourhood in the centre of Oslo, situated between the Old City and Akershus Fortress. Since the 2000s, the neighbourhood has undergone urban development from a container port. When completed it will be a new cultural and urban centre in Oslo.

Field trip 4: When the garden city idea was realized in Norway

The garden city Ullevål Hageby was built between 1918 and 1926 and consists of 116 buildings with 653 apartments. It was intended for the working class, as an attempt to create healthy housing with more space, and with a small plot of garden for each house. However, over time the working class residents were replaced by middle-class families, and today the area has among the highest prices in the city. For transportation we use tram no. 17 or 18.

Field trip 5: From municipal rental housing for the working class to a gentrified, popular neighborhood

Toshov is a neighbourhood and an industrial area along the Akerselva river. The neighbourhood consists of tenement buildings from the late 1800s and residential complexes built 1917-1925. In later years, blocks of flats and high-rise buildings have been erected on the plots of small houses from the 1800s. For transportation we use tram no. 11, 12 or 18

Field trip 6: Norway’s first suburban satellite town

Lambertseter was built over a short period starting from 1951 and was the very first modern satellite town of Oslo. The planning of Lambertseter was inspired by anti-urban ideals, as such there are no narrow streets nor enclosed areas.It wqas designed for socialising, with open and bright areas placed strategically between the apartment buildings. For transportation we use metro no. 1 or 4.

Field trip 7: From rural farming community to immigrant-dense area

The Grorud Valley is an urban area in northeastern Oslo. In the 1960s and 1970s, the valley was transformed from an agricultural to a suburban landscape. However, in recent years, the valley has been associated with a large immigrant population and juvenile delinquency. Recently, various area-based initiatives aims to enhance local services and make lasting improvements to the local communities. For transportation we use metro no. 4 or 5.

Field trip 8: Street Voices

Gatestemmer (Street Voices) offers city walks hosted by individuals who may have faced challenges in traditional employment. Their guides share their personal and street-level stories, offering a rare glimpse into life on the margins of society. With lived experiences of homelessness, addiction, crime, or mental health struggles, each guide offers a unique perspective.

Fieldtrip 9: Rental housing in a nation of homeowners

In Norway, about a quarter of households rent their home, amounting to roughly 600,000 households. Still, the degree of collective organization among tenants, both private and municipal, is very low in Norway. The Tenants Organization, Leieboerforeningen (Lbf), is the country’s only advocacy organization for tenants. They play an important role in the housing policy landscape, and they have strong opinions on how the homeowner model has affected tenants' possibilities to participate in the housing debate. Come and meet tenants, learn more about tenant organizing, tenants’ power and powerlessness, and the situation for renters in Norway from Lbf!

Fieldtrip 10: Ferry trip to a small island in the Oslofjord: a cabin paradise with a fascinating history

Take a ferry from Rådhusbrygga and see the beautiful islands of the inner Oslofjord. We go ashore on Lindøya, which has gone from being owned by Cistercian monks in the 1700s to tent camping in the early 1900s. In the 1920s, workers rowed across and put up small makeshift summer cabins on leasehold plots. Today, the island is a cabin paradise with 300 red, yellow, and green cabins that are among the most sought-after in Norway. The buildings are protected as a culturally and historically significant expression of working-class leisure life. The island is now partly a nature reserve and a popular recreation area owned by the state. One of the cabin owners welcomes you into their garden!

Fieldtrip 11: Rental housing in a nation of homeowners

Enebakkveien 37 (E37) is a pioneering urban ecological co-housing project located in Gamle Oslo, Norway. Established in 2007 as a municipal pilot project, E37 represents a unique model for sustainable living, focusing on ecological building rehabilitation, affordable alternative housing, and extensive resident participation. Run as a cooperative, the community is built on circular principles, shared resources, and social solidarity. Together with its twin project Ormsundveien 14, E37 stands as a vibrant example of grassroots urban development, demonstrating how historic municipal buildings can be revitalized through dedicated community effort and ecological innovation. Resident representatives welcome you to their house and garden.

Norway remains one of Europe’s most generous and universal social democratic welfare states, yet economic inequality and housing wealth disparities have grown significantly over the last 40 years. Despite a long-standing political goal of expanding homeownership to all, owner-occupation rates amongst low-income households have fallen in recent decades.  Access to parental wealth is also increasingly important for young adults aspiring to become homeowners. Households with moderate incomes and little capital face the prospect of living long-term in rental housing with limited security of tenure. Oslo and Stavanger, two of Norway’s major cities, have also experienced an increasing segregation of the rich in expensive residential areas. This plenary brings together three experienced researchers to explore the historical, social, and spatial dimensions of rising inequality in Norway's housing regime. Geared toward an international audience, the session will draw parallels to similar and contrasting developments across Europe.

Chair:
Bo Malmberg, Stockholm University, Sweden

Speakers:
Jardar Sørvoll, Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway
Terje Wessel, University of Oslo, Norway
Kristin Aarland, Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway

Social inequalities shaped by income, wealth, and family resources play a crucial role in shaping households’ opportunities in housing markets. While previous eras benefited from favourable labour markets, welfare policies, and housing access, recent years have seen growing inequalities worldwide. Weak labour markets in some countries and rising house prices in others have deepened wealth disparities, created barriers to homeownership, and increased financial risks.
Social inequality not only affects access to homes but also reinforces disparities in education, healthcare, employment, and quality environments, potentially forming a cycle of worsening inequalities.
This plenary session explores the global connection between social inequality and housing on a global scale. Where people live profoundly influences their access to resources and quality of life. By examining housing policies, market dynamics, and social structures internationally, the session seeks to uncover how these factors sustain or combat inequalities across diverse geographical contexts. 

Chair:
Janis Umbliis, Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway

Speakers:
Maarten van Ham, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands 
Sonia Alves, Aalborg Universitet, Denmark
Emma Baker, Adelaide University, Australia 

This session explores how social and economic inequalities are transmitted across generations and how local and spatial conditions shape these dynamics. Factors that contribute to intergenerational disadvantages, including economic cycles, labour market conditions, neighborhood effects, family background, and housing and social policies will be examined. Discussions will highlight both quantitative and qualitative approaches and investigate the mechanisms that can exacerbate or mitigate intergenerational inequalities over time. The session also considers cross-national perspectives, offering insights into how experiences in different welfare contexts inform our understanding of inequality and social sustainability across generations. 

Speakers:
Richard Ronald, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands
Ola Honningdal Grytten, NHH Norwegian School of Economics, Norway
Lindsay Flynn, University of Luxembourg, Luxemburg

Europe is facing a housing crisis; a crisis that is intertwined with and impacts societal structures such as participation in labour and education, as well as the experience of social cohesion among citizens across Europe. In response to the crisis, the EU announced The European Affordable Housing Plan in late 2025. In this session, we will explore the central themes of the EU plan, including: What is affordability? When is housing affordable? How do we measure it? We will also delve into the development of the plan itself: What were the main considerations? What were the greatest challenges in developing this plan? What were some of the main inputs from the Housing Advisory Board, and how are they reflected in the plan? Lastly, what aspects of the plan could have been stronger?

The panel discussion following the presentations will address critical questions such as: Where do vulnerabilities in the plan lie? What pressing housing issues remain unresolved? These discussions aim to shed light on the challenges and possibilities for improving housing policies in Europe.

Chair:

Jardar Sørvoll, Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway

Speakers:
Rikke Skovgaard Nielsen, Aalborg University, Denmark
Matthew Baldwin, Head of the Housing Task Force, European Commission
Simone Tulumello, University of Lisboa, Portugal