The 2018 Intentional Communities Symposium
worked on the themes of ‘what works’ and explored the process of forming communities, legal models and bumps in the road. Presentations from: Kirsten Stevens-Wood, Yael Arbol, Dr Francesca Fois and Chris Coates.
The 2016 Intentional Communities Symposium
‘Living the Good Life’ built on the theme of sustainability and low impact living. presentations from academics Professor Jenny Pickerill, Professor Dave Mullins and Dr Keith Halfacree.
Professor Jenny Pickerill
Jenny's current research includes analysing the social, geographical and political issues of eco-housing in order to better understand the forms and functions of eco-homes, how eco-homes could be improved, how to encourage more supply and demand, how eco-building knowledge travels and how to make eco-housing more affordable.
Professor Dave Mullins
David has been based at the University of Birmingham since 1989 and until 2011 he worked in the Centre for Urban and Regional Studies where he undertook a variety of research and teaching roles including Director of Research He was appointed to the Chair in Housing Policy in 2006 and joined the Third Sector Research Centre in 2009 where he currently leads the housing and service delivery streams.
Dr Keith Halfacree
Keith Halfacree is engaged with conceptual debates concerning the ways in which the rural is changing in Britain and other countries in the global North. He recently obtained Leverhulme Trust support to explore how people involved in recent British 'back-to-the-land' experiments interact on a daily basis with the land.
The 2014 Intentional Communities Symposium
(the first) explored intentional communities as a phenomenon, including their place within the utopian literature and more practical applications such as the use of community land trusts. Speakers were: Professor Lucy Sargisson, Maria Brenton, Keith Cowling, Ruth Bradbrook and Dr Melissa Fernandez.
Maria Brenton – senior cohousing communities
Maria is Project Manager & Cohousing Consultant at Older Women's Cohousing Company Ltd, and a Board Member of UK Co-housing Network. She has also written extensively about cohousing and old age.
Keith Cowling – Community Land Trusts
Keith Cowling is a former architect with 25 years’ experience as a community architect and social entrepreneur. Keith has a particular interest in .
Professor Lucy Sargisson – Intentional Communities as Practical Utopias
Lucy Sargisson is the only Professor of Utopian studies in the world. Based at the University of Nottingham. Lucy has an ongoing commitment to the research of intentional communities and is a member of the CoHousing UK's Research Network.
Ruth Bradbrook – Living in an Intentional Community
In 2013 Ruth took the step with her partner to move from 'conventional' to Old Hall, which is a co-owned community in Suffolk. Old Hall celebrated its 40th birthday last year and has close to 40 members aged from 92 to 2.
Dr Melissa Fernandez – Researching the development of Featherstone cohousing
Melissa is an interdisciplinary scholar with a PhD in Sociology from LSE, She has also worked in the field of international human rights in the UK, U.S., and Puerto Rico
Horiatu-Cristian Cojan – Sustainable benefits of Cohousing
Research suggests that cohousing can offer a more environmentally sustainable way of living.
