Housing cooperatives as real utopias?

This dissertation project explores the extent to which housing cooperatives and other cooperative housing forms can be understood as seedbeds of non-capitalist organizational logics. At the heart of the inquiry is a reflective perspective on their social reach:

• Who currently benefits from cooperative housing – and who is structurally excluded?

The project also asks under what social, political, and economic conditions such housing models can be considered “real utopias” that are viable in the long term and capable of fostering transformative change.

Methodologically, the project follows a mixed-methods approach: The quantitative component systematically maps cooperative housing in Germany and analyzes its social composition. In a complementary qualitative component, selected housing projects are examined in depth to investigate the normative orientations and everyday practices of residents.

The aim is to critically assess the transformative potential of these housing models and to situate their societal role within the broader context of housing wealth, social inequality and housing policy developments.