Revitalizing Associative Governance: The Role of Organizational Infrastructures in Addressing Contemporary Housing Challenges in Scandinavia

This paper contributes to an ongoing and critical discussion of non-market and alternative forms of governance by exploring the role of housing organizations rooted in a framework of associative governance in the Nordic countries.
Addressing recent critiques that literature in this area has been overly focused on historical precedents, this paper argues for the relevance of revitalizing associative governance models in speaking to contemporary challenges in general and the housing sector in particular.
Through an analysis of self-organized housing associations and their interactions with both governmental authorities and market-driven forces, the paper uncovers the important yet underexplored role these organizations have played in contributing to the political legitimacy and social cohesion of Nordic societies. Accordingly, the paper examines how the deregulation and marketization of the housing sector have destabilized traditional associative governance models, leading to increased social exclusion and fragmentation.
By bridging historical insights with current circumstances, this paper offers a nuanced understanding of how associative governance in the housing sector potentially can be revitalized to support more inclusive and integrated communities. It contributes to the literature by highlighting the potential(s) of associative governance models to inform future policy-making and modes of organizing, by providing a theoretical framework that links associative governance with broader socio-economic dynamics. The findings are particularly relevant for scholars and policymakers interested in the intersections of governance, housing, and welfare state sustainability.