Professor Douglas Robertson

Honorary Professor

Faculty of Social Sciences Colin Bell Building, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA

Professor Douglas Robertson

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About me

My research expertise focuses on sociological understandings of place, belonging and identity, examining how these interact and influence society, particularly in relation to both social and housing policies at both local and national scales. Having spent most of my teaching career to date contributing to  post-graduate MSc / Diploma in Housing Studies, following a five year term as Head of School, I moved over to teach undergraduate Sociology and Social Policy. So having joined the School as its youngest lecturer on 1st September 1988, I now now find myself being the second longest serving member of the academic staff. Hobbies: sustainable cycling, thoughtfull photography, purposeful hill walking, passive politics, challenging gardening and satisfying slow cooking.

Community Contribution

Scottish Government

Invited in September 2013 by Nicola Sturgeon, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities to chair the Scottish Government's Private Rented Sector Tenancy Review Group which was charged with examining the suitability and effectiveness of the current Private Rented Sector tenancy regime and develop recommendations for the Scottish Government as to how the current regime might work better and/ or the options for taking reform forward. The Group reported in May 2014. See: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/Housing/privaterent/government/Tenancy-Review

Scottish Government

Invited in September 2009 by Alex Neil, Minister for Housing and Communities to chair the Scottish Private Rented Sector Strategy Group which was charged with coming forward with a consultation paper on future legislative reform by December 2009, which fed into the Private Rented Sector (Scotland) Act, 2011. The Group then turned its attention to advising the Scottish Government on the development of a strategy for the private rented sector to help support tenants, landlords, local authorities and other interested parties. See

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/Housing/privaterent/government/prsreview/strategy


Divisional / Faculty Contribution

Convenor of the Children, Families and Relationships Research Group
Research group involves 25 active researchers across the University (Social Science, Nursing, Education, Humanities and Sport


Other Academic Activities

‘Home not housing' Engaging with Well-being Outcomes- Scottish Universities Insight Institute Well-being Programme
University of Strathclyde and University of Dundee


University Contribution

Head of Department, Department of Applied Social Science, University of Stirling.

Served as Head of Department for the 5 year term


Research (1)

Having spent years undertaking empirical studies of housing renewal and regeneration, adopting a public policy focus, I was struck by the fact that both processes appeared cyclical, being re-applied in a number of 'deprived communities' many times. While physical housing conditions undoubtedly improved over time, other social dimensions of poverty persisted and, if anything, got progressively worse (Robertson, 2014 http://www.shu.ac.uk/research/cresr/reports ). Trying to explain this pattern led me to the reflective sociological practice of Pierre Bourdieu and I have drawn on his work to better understand the largely hidden significance and power of place, given its importance in constructions of identity and belonging. Place, belonging and identity is also critical in the social construction of societal hierarchies, which display a remarkable resilience (see Robertson, 2013; Smyth & Robertson, 2013; Robertson, 2011; Robertson et al, 2010; Robertson, 2008, Robertson et al, 2008). My initial interest in identity developed out from teaching Scottish Society which explores four distinct aspects of identity: nation, class, gender and ethnicity. This led to undertaking a study of the English in Scotland, with colleagues, which considered the notion of a ‘hidden' minority as well as discrimination based on voice (see McIntosh et al, 2004a; 2004b; 2005 & 2008). I have also had a long-standing interest in flatted properties, especially the Scottish tenement, and have examined its management, maintenance and renewal over many years. Of particualr note was a major study of Scottish Housing Action Areas, with Nick Bailey, and a follow on series of international comparative studies for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation on private flat management systems which helped contibute to the introduction of Commonhold legislation in England and Wales.   This work has attracted three PhD students who have a direct interest in social identity: Iris Altenberger, undertook a groundbreaking study on the renewal of Raploch, through focusing on the social and visual culture of place; Ian Glen, currently completing an ethnographic study of Fallin, Stirlingshire, exploring class and gendered identities; and, finally, Helen Young who is examining the historic role played by rural schools and female teachers in the construction of communities around Loch Tay.

Projects

Smart Governance of Sustainable Cities (SmartGov)
PI: Professor William Webster
Funded by: Economic and Social Research Council

Outputs (68)

Outputs

Book Chapter

Robertson D & Serpa R (2014) Social housing in Scotland. In: Scanlon K, Whitehead C & Fernandez-Arrigoitia M (eds.) Social Housing in Europe. Real Estate Issues. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 43-60. http://eu.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1118412346.html


Book Chapter

Levy-Vroelant C, Reinprecht C, Robertson D & Wassenberg F (2014) Learning from history: Path dependency and change in the social housing sector of Austria, France, the Netherlands and Scotland, 1889-2013. In: Scanlon K, Whitehead C & Fernandez-Arrigoitia M (eds.) Social Housing in Europe. Real Estate Issuess. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 277-296. http://eu.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1118412346.html


Research Report

Crisp R, Gore T, Pearson S, Tyler P, Clapham D, Muir J & Robertson D (2014) Regeneration and poverty: Evidence and policy review - Final Report. Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Sheffield Hallam University. http://www.shu.ac.uk/research/cresr/sites/shu.ac.uk/files/jrf-regeneration-poverty-final-report.pdf


Book Chapter

Robertson D (2012) Case Studies. In: Smith S, Elsinga M, Eng O, O'Mahony L & Wachter S (eds.) International Encyclopedia of Housing and Home. Amsterdam: Elsevier, pp. 117-121. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780080471631006111


Book Chapter

Robertson D (2012) Collective Ownership. In: Smith S, Elsinga M, Eng O, O'Mahony L & Wachter S (eds.) International Encyclopedia of Housing and Home. Amsterdam: Elsevier, pp. 180-185. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780080471631000485


Book Chapter

Robertson D (2011) The state of Scottish housing and how we change it. In: Hassan G & Ilett R (eds.) Radical Scotland: Arguments for Self-Determination. Edinburgh: Luath Press, pp. 160-172. http://www.luath.co.uk/radical-scotland-arguments-for-self-determination.html


Book Chapter

Robertson D & Smyth J (2009) Tackling squalor: Housing’s contribution to the welfare state. In: Rummery K, Greener I & Holden C (eds.) Analysis and debate in social policy, 2009. Social Policy Review, 21. Bristol: Policy Press, pp. 87-108. http://www.policypress.co.uk/display.asp?K=9781847423733&sf1=series_exact&st1=SOCIALPOLICYREVIEW&sort=sort_date/d&ds=Social%20Policy%20Review&m=6&dc=15


Authored Book

McIntosh I, Robertson D & Sim D (2008) English People in Scotland: An Invisible Minority. hors série. Lampeter, Ceredigion: Edwin Mellen Press. http://www.mellenpress.com/mellenpress.cfm?bookid=7450&pc=9


Book Chapter

McIntosh I, Robertson D & Sim D (2008) Studying English People in Scotland. In: McIntosh I, Robertson D & Sim D (eds.) English people in Scotland: An invisible minority. Lampeter, Ceredigion: The Edwin Mellen Press, pp. 1-13. http://www.mellenpress.com/mellenpress.cfm?bookid=7450&pc=9


Book Chapter

Robertson D (2008) Drawing out the issues. In: Scanlon K & Whitehead C (eds.) Social Housing in Europe II: A review of policies and outcomes. London: LSE London, London School of Economics, pp. 287-299. http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/LSELondon/


Authored Book

Robertson D (2008) Looking into Housing: A Practical Guide to Housing Research. Coventry, UK: Chartered Institute of Housing. http://www.cih.org/publication/display/vpathDCR/templatedata/cih/publication/data/Looking_into_Housing


Conference Proceeding

Robertson D (2008) Propos d’étape. In: Mboumoua I & Tutin C (eds.) L’avenir du logement social en Europe: Acts du colloque. GIS Reseau Socio-Economie de l’habitat European Network for Housing Research: L’avenir du logement social en Europe, Paris, 22.11.2007-23.11.2007. Paris: Reseau Socio-Economie de l’habitat, pp. 127-130. http://sh.colloque.free.fr/textes/synth%C3%A8sefinalelogementsocialenEurope.pdf


Research Report

Robertson D, Smyth J & McIntosh I (2008) Neighbourhood identity. Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Joseph Rowntree Foundation. http://www.jrf.org.uk/publications/neighbourhood-identity-effects-time-location-and-social-class


Edited Book

Laflame V, Levy-Vroelant C, Robertson D & Smyth J (eds.) (2007) Le logement précaire en Europe: Aux marges du palais. Habitat et Sociétés. Paris: L'Harmattan. http://www.editions-harmattan.fr/index.asp?navig=catalogue&obj=livre&no=24162


Book Chapter

Robertson D & Smyth J (2007) L’évolution du logement social en Écosse; de la norme ả la marge. In: Laflamme V, Levy-Vroelant C, Robertson D & Smith J (eds.) Le logement précaire en Europe: Aux marges du palais. Habitat et Sociétés. Paris: L'Harmattan, pp. 63-84. http://www.editions-harmattan.fr/index.asp?navig=catalogue&obj=livre&no=24162


Book Chapter

Laflamme V, Levy-Vroelant C, Robertson D & Smyth J (2007) Introduction. In: Laflamme V, Levy-Vroelant C, Robertson D & Smyth J (eds.) Le logement précaire en Europe: Aux marges du palais. Paris: L'Harmattan, pp. 11-16. http://www.editions-harmattan.fr/index.asp?navig=catalogue&obj=livre&no=24162


Book Chapter

Robertson D (2006) Scotland's new towns: a corporatism experiment. In: Beech J, Hand O, Mulhern M & Weston J (eds.) Scottish Life and Society Volume 9: The Individual and Community Life - A Compendium of Scottish Ethnology. Edinburgh: John Donald Publishers, pp. 372-402. http://www.birlinn.co.uk/search.php?mode=search&page=1


Book Chapter

Robertson D, McIntosh I & Sim D (2005) The English in Scotland: Focusing on an invisible minority. In: Beech J, Hand O, Mulhern M & Weston J (eds.) Scottish Life and Society Volume 9: The Individual and Community Life - A Compendium of Scottish Ethnology. Edinburgh: John Donald Publishers, pp. 575-603. http://www.birlinn.co.uk/Scottish-Life-and-Society-The-Individual-and-Community-Life-9780859766326.html


Book Chapter

Robertson D (2005) From hovels to houses, but why not homes?. In: MacAskill K (ed.) Agenda for a New Scotland: Visions of Scotland 2020. Edinburgh: Luath Press. http://www.luath.co.uk/agenda-for-a-new-scotland.html


Book Review

Robertson D (2003) Urban exodus: Why the Jews left Boston and the Catholics stayed. Review of: Urban Exodus: Why the Jews Left Boston and the Catholics Stayed, Gerald Gamm, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2001, 384 pp. ISBN 0 674 00558 9. Urban Studies, 40 (1), pp. 181-183. https://doi.org/10.1080/00420980220080231


Research Report

Wagstaff M & Robertson D (2002) Future Developments in Home Buying and Selling. The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). The Council of Mortgage Lenders. http://cml.org.uk/cml/filegrab/pdf_pub_resreps_43full.pdf.pdf?ref=3862


Book Chapter

Robertson D (2001) Scottish Homes: A legacy. In: Jones C & Robson P (eds.) Health of Scottish Housing. Aldershot: Ashgate, pp. 110-133.


Research Report

Wagstaff M, Robertson D, Whitehead J & Gibson S (2000) Monitoring Industry Initiatives to Improve the Homebuying and Selling Process. Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions. http://dclg.ptfs-europe.com/AWData/Library1/Departmental%20Publications/Department%20of%20the%20Environment,%20Transport%20and%20the%20Regions/2000/Moniroring%20Industry%20Initiatives%20to%20Improve%20the%20Home%20Buying%20and%20Selling%20Process%20Part%20


Book Chapter

Robertson D (2000) Glasgow: time for change. In: Hassan G (ed.) The New Scottish Politics: The First Year of the Scottish Parliament and Beyond. Edinburgh: The Stationery Office, p. 98.


Book Chapter

Robertson D (1998) Scotland's new towns: a modernist experiment in state corporatism. In: Foster S, MacInnes A & MacInnes R (eds.) Scottish Power Centres: From the Early Middle Ages to the Twentieth Century. Print Networks, 2. Glasgow: Cruithne Press, pp. 210-239.


Book Chapter

Robertson D & Sim D (1991) Glasgow: Some Lessons in Urban Renewal. In: Robertson D & Sim D (eds.) Glasgow: Some Lessons in Urban Renewal. Glasgow: City of Glasgow District Council, pp. 1-6.


Book Chapter

Robertson D & MacGregor BD (1987) Rural housing in Scotland: an assessment of the issues. In: McGregor B, Robertson D & Shucksmith M (eds.) Rural Housing in Scotland: Recent Research and Policy. Aberdeen: Aberdeen University Press, pp. 9-16.


Book Chapter

MacGregor BD & Robertson D (1987) An agenda for policy and research for rural housing in Scotland. In: MacGregor B, Robertson D & Shucksmith M (eds.) Rural Housing in Scotland: Recent Research and Policy. Aberdeen: Aberdeen University Press, pp. 185-192.


Article

Cunningham C & Robertson D (1987) Scotland after Younger. Planet: the Welsh Internationalist, (60), pp. 120-123.