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The Struggle for Housing in Rural Venezuela: Ideology, Practice, and Power 1
Author(s) -
Rakowski Cathy A.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
rural sociology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.083
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1549-0831
pISSN - 0036-0112
DOI - 10.1111/j.1549-0831.1995.tb00566.x
Subject(s) - ideology , politics , rural housing , government (linguistics) , public housing , economic growth , rural area , political science , sociology , public administration , economics , law , linguistics , philosophy
Little is known about the struggle for housing in rural areas or whether rural housing standards and aspirations resemble those of urban areas. This article, based on field research in Venezuela, analyzes housing ideology as expressed in public policy and housing programs, and in interviews with and actions of rural leaders, employers, government officials, and citizens. Competing housing ideologies co‐exist but one—the cement‐block house—dominates; although international and urban in origin, the cement‐block model is diffused through rural housing agencies and political agendas. Housing practices are neither consistent with nor weaken the dominant ideology; and some aspects of rural housing conflicts are similar to those in urban settings. These findings support the need for further research to better understand the conditions under which rural and urban housing issues differ.