Professor Kim McKee

Professor of Housing & Social Policy

Housing Studies Rm 3T18, R G Bomont Building, University of Stirling

Professor Kim McKee

Contact details

About me

I am a Professor of Housing & Social Policy within the Division of Sociology, Social Policy & Criminology.

My first degree was an MA (Joint Hons) in Sociology & Social Policy followed by a PhD in Urban Studies at Glasgow University. Since then I’ve worked in a range of disciplinary environments researching people, place, and policy in a housing context. I am an international expert in housing inequalities and private rented sector precarity and I have published widely on these topics. My research is both applied and theoretically informed. It is underpinned by qualitative epistemologies that emphasise lived experience and the emotions of housing.

I am currently a member of the International Editorial Advisory Board for the journal Housing Studies and the Housing Education in Scotland Steering Group. I'm also a peer-reviewer for a range of academic publishers and research funders.

I’ve previously held varied leadership roles within journals, learned societies, housing organisations and research centres/groups, and been an invited member of various advisory boards, across my 15-year academic career.

My qualitative research focuses on housing inequalities, and the relations of power and governance underpinning these. I've published widely on these topics, including 45+ articles in high impact journals. Areas of expertise include:

  • precarity in the private rented sector
  • young peoples' housing and 'generation rent'
  • intersectional and place-based stigma
  • home, wellbeing and the emotions of housing
  • community ownership of social housing & place-based knowledge

My research has been supported by a wide range of funders including the ESRC, the British Academy, the Leverhulme Trust, the Carnegie Foundation, the Scottish Government, and various public, voluntary and charitable sector organisations. During my career I've led/contributed to over 20 research projects with a total value exceeding £9 million. Current projects are listed on the research tab.

Divisional / Faculty Contribution

Advisor of Studies, Housing Studies Programme (2019-)

Co-Leader, Public Services and Governance Research Group (2020-)

Programme Director (Housing Studies & Housing Studies with internship) (2019-)

Event / Presentation

Interviewed for Under One Roof podcast series - Making a House a Home, Rental Reform Across the UK (Nov 2024)
https://open.spotify.com/…d40d8319e6f4404e
The podcast with Prof. Kim McKee explores: • The Emotional Significance of Home: Understanding how personalising a living space contributes to identity, security, & well-being. • Challenges Faced by Renters: Discussing obstacles like restrictions on decorating, fears of sudden eviction, and limited rights that prevent tenants from truly settling in. • Impact of Rental Reforms: Analysing how upcoming legislative changes aim to empower tenants, granting them more freedom to make their rented spaces feel like home.

Invited speaker, Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) Housing Online Seminar, 20 March 2025
https://apse.org.uk/…-the-21-century/
Invited speaker: 'Inclusive Spaces - retrofitting to adapt our homes'

Invited speaker, OchilView Housing Association AGM, September 2024

Invited Speaker, Scottish Federation of Housing Associations Conference , 11 June 2024
Housing education panel on: What Skills Do Our Teams Need in the Future?

Invited Speaker, Share's Annual Conference 15 March 2024
Panellist on housing education session.

Invited webinar for Department of Levelling Up, Housing & Communities 14 March 2024
What do low-income private renters want to see change in Scotland’s private rented sector? Co-presented with Dr T Simcock (Huddersfield).

Invited webinar for Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government 12 March 2025
Webinar for MHCLG on: 'the power of qualitative methods in supporting housing and healthy ageing' (National Science Week)

Keynote, Housing Studies Association conference, 16 April 2024
Plenary: 'Housing Precarity, the emotions of housing & wellbeing impacts'

Plenary Speaker, Housing & Welfare Research International Seminar (HOUSINGWEL - Oslo Metropolitan), November 2024
https://www.oslomet.no/en/about/events/housingwel
Presentation on: Generation Rent, Crisis, Precarity & the Emotions of Housing

Other Academic Activities

Opinion Piece: Scotland’s commitment to housing education & professionalism
https://www.scottishhousingnews.com/…professionalism

Research Advisory Group member, Safe Suffolk Renters Project (2024-)

Research featured in Dazed magazine: 'Is the idea of Generation Rent a myth?'
https://www.dazeddigital.com/…ration-rent-myth

Professional Career

Housing Education in Scotland Steering Group
https://www.cih.org/…-in-scotland.pdf

Professional qualification

Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Research programmes

Research centres/groups

Research themes