Research fields
Andrej Holm’s research interests include gentrification, comparative housing policy and European urban policy.
Thanks to his work on research projects, his doctoral research and many publications, Andrej Holm has dealt with various aspects of gentrification. His empirical works are thus predominantly based on studies related to urban renewal in East Berlin. Along with works on socio-structural transformation and administrative political control mechanisms of urban renewal, he has analyzed most poignantly the connections between (sub) cultural and symbolic evaluations to real estate commoditization.
A second research interest includes changes in housing policy. Here, the core of his research revolves around the process and effects of privatization of former public housing markets as well as social welfare legislation and housing distribution. Case studies on Berlin and Frankfurt am Main analyzed the planning strategies of contractors and their socio-spatial impacts. A research project petitioned by the German Research Foundation (DFG) intends to provide further in-depth data on this topic.
A third research interest is the implementation of international models in the field of urban policy. Within the framework of a URBEX research project Andrej analyzed urban policy programs of the European Union in order to examine the various applications and implementations of the aid programs URBAN I and URBAN II. Due to the research program “Neuordnungen des Städtischen im Neoliberalismus” at the Johann-Wolfgang-Goethe-Universität in Frankfurt am Main in particular, internationally circulated concepts of urban policy stand at the foreground of his works.
A research interest that cuts through all of his works is an analysis of the strategies and keys to success of urban social movements. A conference at the ‘Geographentag 2010’ in Vienna lead to an anthology on Right-to-the-City-Movements. Andrej is also working on the urban policy effects on squatter movements in Berlin and other cities.
Aside from his professional research interests, Andrej Holm is active in various neighborhood and tenant initiatives, including operation of the Gentrificationblog.