Cooperative Ecologies. Liberation, Land Reform, and Counter-Project

The financialization of housing and the resulting socio-economic inequality in European cities calls for alternatives for the production and stewardship of housing. One of these alternatives is the cooperative model in housing tenure. Cooperatives function within a capitalist housing market yet dedicate themselves to non-speculation oriented towards public benefit. However, the political upheavals of the 20th century and the historic exception of the welfare state prevent an investigative angle of longevity on cooperative housing that could highlight the potential of its maturation. This research investigates the achievements and pitfalls of land reform and cooperative ownership and sets its history and theory a usable light for the present. It seeks to understand the drivers of cooperative initiatives, to articulate the qualities of their socio-spatial, ecological, and economic resilience and formulate recommendations for their political support.