NewresearchonthehistoryofpublichousingandsquattinginHongKong.InHongKongPublicandSquatterHousing,AlanSmartandFungChiKeungCharlestracethedevelopmentofsquattinginHongKongfrom1963to1985.Theauthorsreconstructgovernmentpolicyonsquattingthroughbothethnographicandarchivalresearch.Thisbookshedsnewlightontheconsequencesofvariousattemptstocontrolencroachmentonscarceurbanspace.Theauthorsarguethatintersectingpolicyagendasresultedindecisionsthatwereoftennotdesired,butwhichemergedaspracticalsolutionsfrompriorfailures.Theyaddressthechallengesofexplainingconfidentialpolicydecisionsandoffernewapproachesapplicableinothercontexts.Overall,thisbookmakesanimportantcontributiontotheunderstandingofhowpublichousingandsquattinginteractedininfluentialwaysthathavebeenpoorlyunderstoodandoffernewperspectivesonthechallengesofurbangovernanceandhousingproblems.
