Participatory Action Research in Housing Activism: Land, Commodification, and the Campaign for Remunicipalization

This paper examines housing activism through participatory action research (PAR) conducted between 2020–2022, with a focus on the contested dynamics of land commodification and the struggle to reclaim housing as a public good. Situated in Husby, a suburb of Stockholm built under the Million Programme housing initiative (1964–1974), the research centers on efforts to resist exploitative practices by transnational landlords and advocate for the remunicipalisation of commodified housing stock. As both a tenant and housing activist, the author collaborated with a grassroots tenant union to document how privatized ownership of land and housing exacerbates social inequities. This activism emphasized tenants’ roles as knowledge producers and catalysts for change. A key element of the campaign was mobilizing collective action to demand remunicipalisation through democratic institutions, such as tribunal courts, municipal councils, and direct engagement with government bodies. These efforts were supported by strategic use of media to amplify tenants' voices and build broader public awareness of the need for systemic reforms. The paper argues that PAR is a powerful methodology for bridging grassroots activism with institutional processes, enabling tenants to challenge the commodification of land and housing while advocating for collective ownership models. By highlighting remunicipalisation as a critical strategy for addressing housing precarity, this research provides valuable methodological and practical insights for scholars and activists seeking to confront the socio-political implications of land commodification.