Discourse and policy change: The significance of language for housing research

Abstract

The paper reviews a range of epistemological concerns which are pertinent to the study of housing policy. It is divided into four sections: first, a formulation of language as ‘expressive behaviour’ is put forward to show that language is not simply a medium in which ideas and intentions are communicated, rather it is best understood as dynamic and integrally linked to relations of power and dominance. The second section suggests a methodology which can be applied to a study of housing policy and demonstrates with examples how certain words often used in the language of housing are necessarily linked to a wider cultural and ideological milieu. The third section explores how power relationships are manifested through language. To support these arguments the fourth section applies the methodology to examine the content of some key housing terminology ‘expressed’ during the post‐war period in the UK and considers the implications that follow from its usage.