'Our Housing Disaster'

Our Housing Disaster

I must finish the spring and summer's reading as pictured, with another two books in the wings. While the smallest text Our Housing Disaster is cheap to buy, an important read and insightful.

Politically, in the UK and many other nations, housing and its opposite -  homelessness, and the supply and cost of housing are ongoing issues.

Julian Richer's book is low cost £4.99 post free with a promo-code; even as I obtained a free copy, learning of the book in Business section of The Sunday Times. 

Our Housing Disaster gets off to a flying start:

'Falling or stagnant house prices are seen as national 'ill' that we must recover from but, in fact, fast-rising house prices and interest rates have proved to be the real ill, destroying the dream of a property-owning democracy that was supposed to benefit all.

Britain's housing policy, such as it is, has failed on its own terms.' p.9.

I remember when Grand Designs appeared on our TVs. Especially the episode with the wood-frame eco-house by Ben Law. This seemed sustainable and time-limited too. Julian Richer really nails the housing problem without delay. Unfortunately, the audience appeal of TV programmes like Grand Designs, Location, ... seem to me symptomatic of the issue Richer raises above. I used to think that the 'middle class' were shooting themselves in the foot; as house prices rose and rose. There was a collapse at one point with the trap of negative equity that my family almost got caught in (had we bought a new home). Richer corrects this view, with a national perspective across ten chapters and 180 pages.

 If the link between health and housing needs to amplified Richer ably achieves this, and quickly:

'Poor housing is harming the nation's health. The housing ombudsman, Richard Blakeway, whose office deals with complaints from social housing tenants about disrepair and mould and damp in their homes, problems recognised now to be a threat to health, has found the situation to be so bad that he has called for a Royal Commission to look at the links between housing, health, and welfare. Too often, the various agencies in housing, health and social care tend not to link up, or even know what the others are doing. which can end up making people's housing situation worse. Someone who has been homeless or who has mental health needs, for example, can require a lot of support once they are housed so that they can pay the rent and maintain the tenancy. If they just get housed and then left to cope on their own, they can struggle, lose the tenancy, become homeless and whole cycle starts again, with all that waste of money and damage to lives.' p.16.

'In addition to the 8m, there must be millions more who are not in crisis, but who have a blight on their future: typically, young, working people, perhaps with children, who are living in private rented accommodation, with a roof over their heads but always worrying they might be evicted. The insecurity and uncertainty that they experience is not good for them or their children. Just as job insecurity makes it hard for people to build a career, housing insecurity makes it hard for people to establish a life.' p.19.

The statistics flow thick and fast but as readable as they are focussed they weave an effective narrative referring to the history of just how we got to this point. The text make stark the dire crisis and need for action and an urgent government response. 

More to follow.

'Our Housing Disaster' ii

'Our Housing Disaster'
Image: Goodreads

Late to reading about economics, apart from the 'quality press' and an 'O' level in social history (which has actually been really useful in my nursing career), this book can ground and crystallize 'housing' as heard and viewed in the news.

I've a love for hi-fi that I share with Julian Richer, but my wealth lies elsewhere and is decidedly non-monetary. Reading his column in The Sunday Times, I'm impressed with Mr Richer's insight and the extent of his philanthropy. The book notes several initiatives and collaborations, e.g. TaxWatch -https://www.taxwatchuk.org/

On the news you hear of 'intervention' in the market - usually equity or bonds. You - the government - can intervene, or let the market, a market by implication, look after itself. Markets find their own equilibrium, shift to stability ultimately; and this despite economic crises, billion-busting scandals and political parties totally screwing-up.

So, it appears governments have allowed the housing market, to make its own moves.

It's back to the future, the 18th century of laissez-faire: the market has spoken, and its a utter mess.

The book's contents are well structured and delivered in full.

Introduction
1 Disaster? What Housing Disaster?
2 A Housing Crisis That Harms
3 Where Did Housing Go Wrong?
4 The Rise of Renting
5 The Shrinking of Social Housing
6 Underregulated and Oversubscribed
7 Land and Planning: The Price of Permission
8 Making Better Use of Buildings and Land
9 Building a Solution
10 Time for Action - My Housing Manifesto
Conclusion

OHD covers the population as a whole, but 'health' is very well represented in terms of personnel and the impacts of lack of housing and poor quality, unregulated housing: 

'Inability to afford housing is one of the grievances feeding into strikes by public sector workers - even better-paid ones. A survey by the British Medical Association (BMA) in December 2022 found that nearly half (45.3%) of junior doctors had struggled to afford their rent or mortgage in the past year. To earn more, some were taking on extra shifts and the BMA said this added to its concerns around junior doctor exhaustion and burnout. 

The consequences reach out to the public at large, as housing problems hit staff recruitment in health services, education and so on. The NHS visibly cant cope: basic structures are crumbling.' p.25.

We can imagine the anxiety and depression this might provoke. Even for people you might think (assume) would be ordinarily resilient. These are clearly extraordinary times. An email - RCN Magazine - today supports the same conclusion:

The relationship between health and housing is not limited to chapter 2. In chapter 2 though damp and mould (yes a specific case), unsanitary conditions the loss of environment health officers and skilled personnel, reminded me of decades ago an article in HSJ, or in that 'quality press' about the community health councils - CHCs having their teeth extracted. Public (MENTAL) health has taken a stunning fall and desperately needs to be put back together.

More to follow...

iii 'Our Housing Disaster'

'Our Housing Disaster'
Image: Goodreads

Here on W2tQ many posts have referred to 'common sense' over the years. Apparently, there is no such thing - which may be another blog post).

https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/too-many-goals/202005/theres-no-such-thing-common-sense

In 'Our Housing Disaster' Julian Richer is simultaneously analytic in identifying problems and potential solutions, logical and to me commonsensical. There is a need for debate and decisions at a political level. Residents, must also be involved, have a say. Chapter 10 lists shorter-term actions and longer-term. 

The history of this disaster is tackled in chapter 3. Chapter 4 links very well explaining the rise of renting. If there was ever to be another edition - which the book and issue well-deserve; it would be good to a nod to evidence-based housing policy? This is suggested, as is integrating the many threads of housing; work, transport, infrastructure, shops, water and services. I've posted here about the number of All-Party Parliamentary Groups and talk of joined-up government. Housing is anything but joined-up. You could argue all MPs and Lords should read this book. 

Overall, the book is well produced, the text very readable, large size and well laid out. The 'references' for each chapter are in the form of links. Needless to say, I have only tried a few. The book seems smaller - narrower than a standard paperback, so may have fewer words / line. For posts i & ii, I extracted text from photos, which is a challenge without stressing the book's spine (as I've written before no doubt, I'm squeamish when it comes to books).

In the UK, the Right to Buy and Help to Buy, have long been a feature of housing policy. Of Help To Buy, it has 'cost taxpayers £29 billion in cash terms by 2023' (p.45) and has additional consequences. Milton Keynes is the 'right-to-buy-to-let' capital of England (2017, p.48). Surely, it is time to move on -  and quickly. The history of how we got here is fascinating, like a slow car-crash with critical events that accelerated the inevitable. Taxpayers and citizens all: we have missed out. There is mention of preventing corruption (but yes, more effort on money-laundering and tax evasion please!). The need for buildings inspection, standards of construction and materials and responding to the climate crisis and high energy costs are also stressed.

Richer's stance is tempered, and sets an effective tone. He is not preaching, even as he points to land owned by the Church of England. I remember the NHS selling estate, and yet there is more. While the book is not long, an index would help. I like the final summarising and concluding sentences for each chapter. Physically, they are bound to be there obviously, but there's a welcome sensible thread to these imho. With an index, perhaps I could check back to look up 'productivity, reduced', a problem that has plagued the UK economy. To what extent does housing contribute to this now; since the 1960s? The King's Fund and many other organisations and commentators advocate daily for social care. While it is acknowledged, social care is not one of the government's 5 key 'missions', and now (5th Dec.) there are milestones. Richer refers to the problem of bed-blocking in the NHS, and the need for suitable future housing so older adults can continue to 'live' in their homes.

So often in health we are taught, and learn to assess, plan, intervene, and evaluate a person-centred set of needs, a patient's needs, and a carer's needs. It is welcome to see a collective - population-based focus on needs. The book delivers on the title. So there are no details of nations (or cities) that have a  much better housing system and controls. Over the years it's been interesting and encouraging to read about Vienna in the FT. Below I have mapped/associated selected concepts to the care / knowledge domains of Hodges' model:

INDIVIDUAL

|

INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES              

humanistic ------------------------------- mechanistic

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL   

|

GROUP

psychological security mental health 'my' home, my space identity peace of mind when costs met facilitate well-being memories LAND - the 'hope' value sense of continuity / permanence children being safe making friends access to 'GREEN' spaces my life course - personal history Cognitive assurance: my area - family & friends / pets /school / work - attachment	LAND - UK geography physical shelter physical health (NO damp, mould, noise...) House building targets/programmes my space/room having an address - identity displacement public/environment health eviction house building - infrastructure land - costs transport links bed-blocking in hospitals Climate Change
place to make a home raise a family belonging sense of community friends & neighbours  anti-social behaviour by tenants social care - older adults social care disabled access to work, schools resources to service a community lack of spare capacity to support people & families in need/crisis	the economy: interest/mortgage rates indebtedness - poverty housing POLICY :: COSTS national housing & land assets inspection and building standards forms of tenure: private, rented, housing assoc. LAW - housing & land legislation housing rights migration, refugees independent advocacy / NGOs compulsory purchase

Thank you Mr Richer for an excellent read and synopsis. I do hope the government listens! My daughter's partner works in estate agency, so I know where my copy is heading: a new home!

OHD i

OHD ii

Book: iii 'Health and Health Care Inequities'

This book, or similar should be read by 3rd year student nurses and other healthcare learners. I wondered if, for students, a brief glossary might be useful. But key terms are explained and clearly, with typologies numbered and expanded when needed. There seems an aversion in nursing academia to avoid the acutely 'political'. Even though of course in psychiatry, the need for considersation of human rights, consent, capacity, law, personal and public safety, risk is inevitable. Should we only learn of the politics of our role on a post-registration/license course of learning? As mentioned in post i, Borras duly notes the asymmetric impact COVID. The disproportinate deaths of frontline healthcare workers from ethnic minority groups (UK). A sign of the impact, is reflected in COVID recurring through the text.

The device of using axes, e.g. Class-Gender-Health (p.11) rightly draws in commentary on nutrition, pay gaps - heterosexual white men, terms of employment, and design and occupational health for woman. Gender politics is also reflected in the text. The relational dimensions of this discussion also stands out. The Class-Race-Health axis (had me return to the question of parity, but beyond the mental - physical divide. 

These axes employed by Borras seemingly traverse a path and are extensible (across pages). Briefly, in Hodges' model the domains and axes act as stepping stones: 

We can ‘walk’ the model:

Humanistic INTERPERSONAL Individual SCIENCES Mechanistic: adding - Humanistic SOCIOLOGY Group POLITICAL Mechanistic 

A global perspective is matained, even though the focus is Canadian health, government, policy and policy. The press have often highlighted the global nature of the housing crisis. Canada is not immune; as discussed in chapter 2. For what is in many nations a 'housing disaster', Borras covers the history too. Reflecting on: 

'Around the world, neoliberal programs have resulted in over a billion people living in slums (Davis 2017, 23). In wealthier countries, there was rampant privatization of social housing units.' p.25. 

- you feel like a nodding dog toy. Where is the leadership, the strategy and integrity to provide housing for all? Arnel also stresses the link between mental health status and housing. The SDGs place emphasis on security (yes, at the level of what is happening in Ukraine, Gaza, South Sudan...), then housing follows. And with climate refugees to follow ...! I have seen gentrification, and listened to an account in 2007 as Manchester started to experience high-rise growth. I used to try to walk to community visits with students when possible. Observational skills come in many forms, safety still depends upon them. With no place to call home, safety and security is a stark issue for people. A foundation for health, wellbeing and ironically productivity. The rise of foodbanks is also damning. 

Gambling is not indexed, but there appears a denial in the UK government, with other nations 'folding' to the influence of lobbying and corporate influence reducing or removing restrictions in gambling and crucially: advertising. What's the denial you say? Yes, well governments seem to be in denial that there are vulnerable groups in their respective populations. It is laudable that they bestow upon the citizenry the freedom of choice, but that can spell trouble.

If Canada - Ontario has its housing scandal:

'Housing insecurity and homelessness occur because the state and its goencies support real estate and banking corporations that continuously increase housing prices. This setup is a huge problem because these enti- ties focus on generating profit and capital accumulation. The Greenbelt Scandal in Ontario revealed how the government made decisions that served the interests of big companies instead of the public (McGrath 2023; Office of the Auditor General of Ontario 2023). This scandal is an example of neoliberalism and a corrupt style of governance (Moscrop 2023). We need to stop using neoliberal strategies and focus on socialized housing.' p.27.

So does the UK: Grenfell Tower Inquiry No doubt, other nations have their tragic examples. It seems 'international Standards', quality, integrity can never be taken for quality. They too are precarious, vulnerable. Borras's work in chapter 2 on housing security, and differenciation of core housing need is laudable, informative and welcome. Re-reading Arnel's point: 'There is no doubt that housing insecurity affects health'. p.28. His book as a whole makes the point that of course more evidence will always be needed. In healthcare for decades the basics of public health have been identified, studied, established, placed in models and frameworks. Yet we find we are found wanting (UK - Awaab's Law) dragged back to the first steps; and despite the urgent issues we now face.

"Universal health care" is not exactly new:

The Canadian Association of Social Workers. (1961). The Social Worker, Volume 29, Numbers 1 to 2. 29(1to2), 1to78. The Canadian Association of Social Workers. The Social Worker - Le travailleur social. Canadian Association of Social Workers. https://jstor.org/stable/community.39672572.

Borras is correct to write of 'The Continuing Private War against Universal Health Care' (p.36). Looking at NGRAM it appears the private sector has been winning in recent decades. Working previously as a community mental health nurse for older adults, chapter 3 explores Canada's health care systems. Table 3.1 compares the ownership of long-term care homes in figures. The discussion deals with the quality of care and variation. Policy intentions, plans, research and what follows in practice is also debated. Is there any comfort  in learning that Canada is not alone in being skilled at kicking-can-down-the-road. To be fair many developed nations face the same demographic cliff (whichever way you it!), just one of the urgent issues noted above. The contribution of informal carers is also highlighted.

Here in the UK the commissioner - provider split and models of care at the finance level are a maze: amazing in their bureaucracy. Borras does a marvellous job, in providing enough detail without weighing the narrative flow, and losing the reader. The close of chapter 3 offers hope that Hodges' model will continue to be found:

'Therefore, shifting away from neoliberalism toward a new societal system where health care is seen as a fundamental human need and a universal right, not a profit-driven commodity, is crucial. This alternative system requires a new societal framework built on solidarity, fairness, and humanity, prioritizing health over financial and personal gain.' p.50.

See also: Post i : Post ii : Post iv : Post v (to follow)

Arnel M. Borras. (2025) Health and Health Care Inequities - A Critical Political Economy Perspective. Fernwood Publishing.

In addition:

Messing, K., & de Grosbois, S. (2001). Women Workers Confront One-Eyed Science: Building Alliances to Improve Women’s Occupational Health. Women & Health, 33(1–2), 125–141. https://doi.org/10.1300/J013v33n01_08  (Borras - pp.11-12).

https://nhsrho.org/news/tender-maternal-and-neonatal-image-library/

Previously: "Invisible Women" on International Women's Day

Summer reading and books for review

I look forward to reading and reviewing these books. Many thanks to:

• Tom Griffiths - Julian Richer's office
• CUP
• Springer Nature Customer Service

Julian Richer (Author), Kate Miller (Editor) (2024) Our Housing Disaster: - and what we can do about it. London: Richer Publishing and Media. 

https://www.richersounds.com/our-housing-disaster.html

Joaquim Braga & Mário Santiago de Carvalho (eds.) (2021) Philosophy of Care - New Approaches to Vulnerability, Otherness and Therapy. Cham: Springer Verlag.

https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-75478-5

I will advise on how / whether informs my online presentation this coming week at:

MYTH, RITUAL AND PRACTICE

FOR THE AGE OF ECOLOGICAL CATASTROPHE

Fritjof Capra, Pier Luigi Luisi (2014) The Systems View of Life - A Unifying Vision. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 

https://www.cambridge.org/gb/universitypress/subjects/life-sciences/genomics-bioinformatics-and-systems-biology/systems-view-life-unifying-vision?format=HB&isbn=9781107011366 

All three could have a role to play?

"Care Package" 4 the C.21st ?

"The CARE Package was the original unit
of aid distributed by the humanitarian organization
CARE (Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere)."

individual

|

INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

humanistic ----------------------------------------------- mechanistic

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

|

group - population

Disaster Conflict Refugee context? Individual choices -  facilitating autonomy  whenever possible - Sign Language? Mental health Care Plan includes relapse prevention /  Staying well / Self care Mental capacity / Decision making Physical health check Patient Reported Outcomes* Specific management of medication - lithium, psychotropics and safety completed and health literacy demonstrated with support if needed. Making Every Contact Count - in every care context Psychological therapies  One narrative: told recorded once Cognitive access: Health Information Access to my health record My Care - Why? Understanding, Awareness C[P]-Suite "I Consent" - My data, Genetic Profile, Reimbursement? INTEGRATED -

Disaster Conflict Refugee context? Avoid admission, over-treatment Quaternary Prevention Preparation for Admission? Physical Care Plan includes relapse prevention /  Staying well / Self care If in-patient THEN is medication ordered and ready for discharge? e-Prescription? Electronic Health Record Mobility - aids, Transport Advice / instructions Wound /  Dressing management Making Every Contact Count - in every care context Clinic location: urban / rural  transport  Virtual - Telemedicine, e-Health m-Health Patient Reported Outcome Measures Patient involvement in Research Trials Physical therapies - access Physical access services/devices? - CARE ?

Care IN the Community? Housing :: Homeless? Pre-discharge home visit - e.g. Occupational Therapy? Living alone? Safety Carers involved with due  consent in care planning.  Engaged in recognition and role of warning signs and actions to follow. Recovery, Rehabilitation, Reablement Awareness and shared competency in medication, in event of physical illness. Patient/Family audit of clinical record: accuracy if/when appropriate BUT check completed. Plan of care - activities, groups, information, arts, studies,  volunteering. Carers assessment Social care. Advance (anticipatory) care planning Progress (this time) PRO* Introduce respite care, day care, volunteering Avoidance of admission: this time :: next time?

[Finance of Health Service Delivery] Care Package for specific groups / populations / circumstances:  Forensic, Prison, Homeless,  Substance Misuse, Veterans Need for interpreter, advocacy? Feedback on care experience: patient and carer(s) Management of Belongings, Cash Community care - follow up instigated - introductions made with continuity of care (personnel) were possible. Communication with (family) GP/Doctor Out-of-hours services  and contact details. Patient & Carer invited to phone purely as a trial-run. Law - Policy? 72 hour, 7 Day - follow-up at home. Incidents - Complaints? Apologies? Organisational Learning  Welfare - Employment Data capture and reporting of care spell/episode. De-identified. Reports submitted stats. Reporting plans to Public re. Health Services Public involvement in Services

The above is not comprehensive and in itself begs questions of scope and what is a 'comprehensive' care package?

The mapping above to Hodges' model includes many assumptions - existing health service provision, governance, finance, housing, social infrastructure - social determinants of health and how these are mitigated (if at all).

"No argument, we should teach critical thinking" by Julian Richer

Spring and summer reading includes Our Housing Disaster. Julian Richer's weekly column in the Sunday Times is very interesting; business yes, but socially oriented and positive in the values conveyed.

I'm 100 pages into The Systems View of Life, posts to follow, but before getting to OHD, I noticed another of Richer's columns:

#36 "No argument, we should teach critical thinking"

Sunday 14th July 2024

"... all the successful bosses I’ve ever worked with encourage an open flow of communications in all directions (internally — up, down, across — and with the outside world, too) with no taboos. They try to surround themselves with good people who can see the world independently, draw their own conclusions and have the confidence to express their ideas."

"It’s very difficult to craft a culture of critical thinking and open debate in a business unless it’s been taught at school, as our parents tend to be more stuck in their ways. Unfortunately, schools spend so much time on teaching and testing reading, and particularly writing, that they don’t have enough time to teach thinking and speaking. These require practice, too. And they are also very important life and business skills."

 

The discussion on Parallel Histories reminds me of philosophical talk, virtue-seeking is not enough. It needs to applied practically, if it is to make a difference.

 

"An added benefit is that kids who have learnt calm and reasoned debate will use this knowledge to help them in their adult life. Certainly, those going on to join the business world will be very pleased to have received these negotiating and people skills, both essential."

Hodges' model provides a structure for reflection, reflective practice, and critical thinking and inevitably light-weight can be carried as lifelong learning resource and tool.

Book: [ii] 'The Systems View of Life - A Unifying Vision'

The introduction highlights the oscillation through history between reductivism, holistic and integrative perspectives; the relationship between theology and the claims for and crystallisation of knowledge and the sciences. The development of cybernetics and systems theory in the 1950s and 1960s does not have it all its own way: 

'The eclipse of systems thinking from pure science had become so complete that it was not considered a viable alternative. In fact, systems theory began to be seen as an intellectual failure in several critical essays. One reason for this harsh assessment was that Ludwig von Bertalanffy (1968) had announced in a rather grandiose manner that his goal was to develop general systems theory into "'a mathematical discipline, in itself purely formal but applicable to the various empirical sciences.'' He could never achieve this ambitious goal because in his time no mathematical techniques were available to deal with the enormous complexity of living systems.' p.11.

(With Zeeman's book on Catastrophe Theory on-loan at present the above is helpful.)

I've picked up a book of Arne Naess's, put it down again: or did I buy 'The Ecology of Wisdom'? I can't check at present (the books I've left are all boxed / created), but Naess sets the scene for the mechanistic worldview.

'Care flows naturally if the 'self" is widened and deepened so that protection of free Nature is felt and conceived as protection of ourselves. .. Just as we need no morals to make us breathe... [so] if your "self" in the wide sense embraces another being, you need no moral exhortation to show care.. . You care for yourself without feeling any moral pressure to do it. (quoted by Fox, 1990, p. 217)

'What this implies, according to the eco-philosopher Warwick Fox (1990), is that the connection between an ecological perception of the world and corresponding behavior is not a logical but a psychological connection. Logic does not lead us from the fact that we are an integral part of the web of life to certain norms of how we should live.' p.14.

Science fiction gives you an appreciate of 'deep', even if not initially the philosophical connotations. Deep space, A.C. Clarke's Deep Range, and more recently deep time brought me to consider deep care on the old website and here on W2tQ with Hodges' model a means of navigation. Naess refers to shallow and deep ecology. Now we also have deepfakes, although the climate change deniers may struggle to believe their deepfake - that is: reality.  Although the book was published pre-sustainable development goals, sustainable development is discussed in detail. For me, the climate change and the SDGs demand we consider ecology, ecosystems, life, and the Earth across the domains of Hodges' model and the spiritual explored in chapter 13.

 

individual

|

INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

humanistic ------------------------------- mechanistic

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

|

group

	shallow | DEEP

A table on page 13 contrasts several opposites across thinking and values:

As usual, I can't shift beyond the book's introduction, but these points for me underscore the value of the book and Hodges' model. Throughout the blog and papers various dichotomies, polarities, oppositions arise. The structure of Hodges' model lends itself to this, and consequently finding the middle. All the above can be reflected upon in relation to Hodges' model, and also searched.

Chapter 1 explains how the discoveries of Galileo, Descartes, Bacon, Newton and Darwin contributed to the world and life - in biology being viewed mechanistically. The focus of the book is 'Western' and the developed nations; as the main contributor to the current state of the planet. The Cartesian divide - mind & matter/body distinction (p.24) is implicit within Hodges' model:

individual

|

INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

humanistic ------------------------------- mechanistic

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

|

group

res cogitans	res extensa

Newton's work is described and the limitations of Newtonian physics - the social sciences presented a challenge(!). Thermodynamics is introduced helpful for subsequent chapters.

For general science students the book provides a historical primer, and even an introduction to the philosophy of science. Chapter 2 is short but conjoins cells, molecules, genes (Mendel, Watson & Crick; Franklin & Wilkins, and others), and mechanistic medicine. 

'This will not change until medical science relates its study of the biological aspects of illness to the general physical and psychological condition of the human organism and its environment, The conceptual problem at the center of contemporary healthcare is the confusion between disease processes and disease origins. Instead of asking why an illness occurs and trying to remove the conditions that led to it, medical researchers try to understand the mechanisms through which the disease operates, so that they can then interfere with them. These mechanisms, rather than the true origins, are seen as the causes of disease in current medical thinking. In the process of reducing illness to disease, the attention of Physicians has moved away from the patient as a whole person.' p.43.

Thinking about this in basic instrumentalist terms the reliance on optics, the craft of telescopes and microscopes to discover the very large (our Milky Way as 'a' galaxy) and the invisible - germs, bacteria must have been a profound factor.

If you are selecting subjects for age 16 exams, do not underestimate the value of SOCIO-ECONOMIC history. It has helped me as a community mental health nurse. Especially in light of austerity (UK), the cost of living and energy crisis and the 'housing disaster' (book 2024 with) posts to follow. Chapter 3 uses b&w illustrations of key figures, such as, Locke, Adams, and Marx. I remember in the media, economics education being questioned. That is part 1: concise (p.59!) and yet still relevant today.

Many thanks again to CUP for the pb copy.

Fritjof Capra and Pier Luigi Luisi (2014) The Systems View of Life - A Unifying Vision. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

https://www.cambridge.org/gb/universitypress/subjects/life-sciences/genomics-bioinformatics-and-systems-biology/systems-view-life-unifying-vision?format=HB&isbn=9781107011366

C40: A City as an Individual..?

'2020' vision for leadership ...

INDIVIDUAL
|

INTER-PERSONAL : SCIENCES

HUMANISTIC -------------------------------------------------- MECHANISTIC

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

|

 GROUP 

mental wellbeing belonging  identity (sense of self) contentedness	City Geography Statistics Weather Climate Population Epidemiology Energy Roads Water Infrastructure Transport Rail Technology Waste Management Air Greening Food Evidence
community neighbourhoods Quality of Life  social values, cohesion, inclusion leisure, social spaces	C40 surveillance?, security, ethics, values policy, disaster planning (pop. shifts ongoing and to follow), health & social care services, housing, welfare provision, employment, transparency, governance, taxation...

See also (posted in October):

ERCIM News No. 119 Special theme "Smart Things Everywhere"

- which includes:

https://ercim-news.ercim.eu/en119/special/smart-municipality