"the housing 'trilemma' geographies of precarity in rural Scotland"

This PhD studentship seeks to understand how precarity is produced, experienced and resisted in relation to housing in rural Scotland (RQ1), in order to develop a novel 'housing trilemma' approach (RQ2). The new 'housing trilemma' will explore the relative importance of different dimensions of precarity, contributing to contemporary debates in Geography and Housing Studies. It will also be used to identify tensions and trade-offs informing future government policy concerning rural and island housing in Scotland (RQ3). There will therefore be conceptual and policy outcomes gained from the studentship, which although focused on Scotland, will have relevance for many countries where housing in rural areas is under pressure. The methodology will involve two phases: 1) longitudinal qualitative study with 30 members of three remote rural communities in Scotland where acute housing challenges are exemplified. A longitudinal approach is critical in understanding change in precarity over time and across space (addressing RQ 1 & 2); and 2) focus groups with relevant national and local stakeholders (e.g. Scottish Government More Homes division, third sector housing enablers such as Rural Housing Scotland, representatives of the construction industry, local authority planners, and others) to evaluate the utility of the housing trilemma in informing and shaping policy development (addressing RQ3).
RQ1 How is housing precarity experienced in rural Scotland? RQ2 How can conceptualisations of precarity shape a new 'housing trilemma' approach? RQ3 How might a 'housing trilemma' approach contribute to the development of future rural and housing policy.