Periodic Reporting for period 1 - HOUSING PRECARITY (Housing Precarity Pathways, Meanings, Influences and Responses among South Asian Migrants to Dublin)
Reporting period: 2023-09-01 to 2025-09-30
The Republic of Ireland experienced dramatic economic growth during the 1990s, accompanied by population growth, falling unemployment, and rising housing demand. This vibrant, globalized economy also attracted migrants worldwide and marked the end of Ireland’s longstanding status as a largely mono-ethnic nation. This boom ended in an acute housing market, economic and fiscal bust in 2008 but, when the economy started to recover finally, continued population growth and political economy factors such as labor market inequality, financialization of the private rental sector and the impact of cuts to government funding for social housing provision, combined to produce a crisis of housing supply, affordability and access. This housing crisis has proved intractable, and rented housing affordability and homelessness have worsened over the last decade. It has been argued that investment in social housing provision and limiting the State's reliance on the private rental sector are necessary to resolve the crisis.
Housing affordability and homelessness have been persistent problems both for Irish nationals and migrants over the last decade, but these problems are particularly acute among the latter. The 2016 census reveals that nearly 20 per cent of migrants lived in overcrowded accommodation, compared to 8 per cent of Irish-born individuals. Overcrowding rates were most severe among migrants from outside the European Economic Area (EEA). Non-EEA migrants also have higher rates of homelessness than migrants from inside the EEA. However, except those who are seeking asylum in Ireland, non-EEA migrants’ housing challenges have been largely ignored by policymakers in this country and their primary solution to the housing crisis—increased social housing provision—is unlikely to significantly help this group of migrants because they must become naturalized citizens to qualify for access to this tenure or to any other form of housing subsidies. The housing situation of non-EEA migrants has also received little attention from researchers, and the factors that shape their particular housing problems are not well understood. In particular, neither the interaction between housing precarity and other socio-economic precarities, which are more common among migrants (e.g. related to labor market discrimination or legal status), nor migrants’ responses to these challenges and their agency in shaping pathways through these precarities, has been explored in depth. This research fills these critical knowledge gaps by examining Bangladeshi migrants’ lived experiences of housing precarity in Dublin, Ireland’s capital and largest city. The project marries the concepts of housing precarity, multiple precarities, and structure-agency integration to guide a multi-method anthropological study of these migrants’ precarity. This innovative analytical framework goes well beyond the current state of the art. It has the potential to illuminate the pathways of precarity for other marginalized groups in Ireland and internationally.
The concept of housing precarity has been adapted from labor market research to understand the housing experiences of low-paid migrants. It highlights individuals' vulnerability to housing crises, which is closely linked to other factors contributing to precarity, such as job and income insecurity, as well as legal and immigration status. Housing precarity encompasses not only the material aspects of low-income migrants' housing experiences but also their emotional, multidimensional, and dynamic qualities. It is important to emphasize housing precarity because it is marked by a lack of control and potential instability, often resulting in negative emotional effects.
This project examines the interaction between housing-related structures and migrants’ everyday agency, and how this interaction shapes their access to affordable, suitable homes and their experience of housing precarity. The macro-structural components of this analysis include Irish housing policy, the European labor market, immigration policy, and the financialized housing market. The microstructural components of Bangladeshi communities’ experiences include social networks, social class, and processes or systems of chain and illegal migration. The project aims to investigate Bangladeshi migrants’ lived experience of precariousness in Dublin in terms of housing, labor market activity, and immigration status, and the interaction between these. To achieve this broad aim, the project addresses the following objectives. (1) Identify the broader macro-structures (e.g. globalization and labor market) and micro- structures (e.g. social network, kinship, human capital, and social capital) that influence Bangladeshi migrants’ decision to migrate to Dublin and enter this labor and housing market. (2) Describe the extent and nature of Bangladeshi migrants’ housing precarity in Dublin and map the pathways they have followed through the housing system in this city. (3) Explore the micro and macro structural factors that shape Bangladeshi migrants’ options and choices in the Dublin housing market, and the relationship between housing precarity and other forms of precarity, including labor market and income precarity and legal or immigration status, and (4) Examine the extent, nature, and impact of Bangladeshi migrants’ agency in negotiating their housing precarity and the factors that shape this, including social networks, gender roles, cultures, and religions.
To review existing debates and research on housing precarity, the project collects data from secondary sources, including books, articles, and newspapers. The main body of the project encompasses primary research using the anthropological case study method. This method involves collecting in-depth accounts of a single case (e.g. individuals, families, institutions, and communities) that provide a detailed account of “why” and “how” a social phenomenon works. The project is relevant to a wide audience, including researchers in migration, housing, poverty, and precarity from across the social sciences, as well as policymakers, service providers, and advocacy groups working on these issues. To maximize project outcomes and impacts, a multifaceted, multistage, multimodal dissemination and exploitation plan has been devised. This project intends to make important theoretical and empirical contributions to the academic literature and also generate useful information for policymakers and service providers. The project’s theoretical discussion of action and structure, and the interaction of multiple precarities (related to housing, labor markets, and legal status), has enormous potential to strengthen analysis across and within the disciplines of housing studies, migration, and social policy, particularly in Europe. The project’s conceptual approach, findings, and results contribute to the development of South Asian diaspora studies in Europe. The project fills a critical empirical gap in knowledge of migration, housing, and precarity in Ireland, and policymakers and service providers from this country and across Europe can find its relevant policy and service responses to these issues, and it also informs advocacy groups’ campaigns and their understanding of the experiences and needs of their client group.
Housing affordability and homelessness have been persistent problems both for Irish nationals and migrants over the last decade, but these problems are particularly acute among the latter. The 2016 census reveals that nearly 20 per cent of migrants lived in overcrowded accommodation, compared to 8 per cent of Irish-born individuals. Overcrowding rates were most severe among migrants from outside the European Economic Area (EEA). Non-EEA migrants also have higher rates of homelessness than migrants from inside the EEA. However, except those who are seeking asylum in Ireland, non-EEA migrants’ housing challenges have been largely ignored by policymakers in this country and their primary solution to the housing crisis—increased social housing provision—is unlikely to significantly help this group of migrants because they must become naturalized citizens to qualify for access to this tenure or to any other form of housing subsidies. The housing situation of non-EEA migrants has also received little attention from researchers, and the factors that shape their particular housing problems are not well understood. In particular, neither the interaction between housing precarity and other socio-economic precarities, which are more common among migrants (e.g. related to labor market discrimination or legal status), nor migrants’ responses to these challenges and their agency in shaping pathways through these precarities, has been explored in depth. This research fills these critical knowledge gaps by examining Bangladeshi migrants’ lived experiences of housing precarity in Dublin, Ireland’s capital and largest city. The project marries the concepts of housing precarity, multiple precarities, and structure-agency integration to guide a multi-method anthropological study of these migrants’ precarity. This innovative analytical framework goes well beyond the current state of the art. It has the potential to illuminate the pathways of precarity for other marginalized groups in Ireland and internationally.
The concept of housing precarity has been adapted from labor market research to understand the housing experiences of low-paid migrants. It highlights individuals' vulnerability to housing crises, which is closely linked to other factors contributing to precarity, such as job and income insecurity, as well as legal and immigration status. Housing precarity encompasses not only the material aspects of low-income migrants' housing experiences but also their emotional, multidimensional, and dynamic qualities. It is important to emphasize housing precarity because it is marked by a lack of control and potential instability, often resulting in negative emotional effects.
This project examines the interaction between housing-related structures and migrants’ everyday agency, and how this interaction shapes their access to affordable, suitable homes and their experience of housing precarity. The macro-structural components of this analysis include Irish housing policy, the European labor market, immigration policy, and the financialized housing market. The microstructural components of Bangladeshi communities’ experiences include social networks, social class, and processes or systems of chain and illegal migration. The project aims to investigate Bangladeshi migrants’ lived experience of precariousness in Dublin in terms of housing, labor market activity, and immigration status, and the interaction between these. To achieve this broad aim, the project addresses the following objectives. (1) Identify the broader macro-structures (e.g. globalization and labor market) and micro- structures (e.g. social network, kinship, human capital, and social capital) that influence Bangladeshi migrants’ decision to migrate to Dublin and enter this labor and housing market. (2) Describe the extent and nature of Bangladeshi migrants’ housing precarity in Dublin and map the pathways they have followed through the housing system in this city. (3) Explore the micro and macro structural factors that shape Bangladeshi migrants’ options and choices in the Dublin housing market, and the relationship between housing precarity and other forms of precarity, including labor market and income precarity and legal or immigration status, and (4) Examine the extent, nature, and impact of Bangladeshi migrants’ agency in negotiating their housing precarity and the factors that shape this, including social networks, gender roles, cultures, and religions.
To review existing debates and research on housing precarity, the project collects data from secondary sources, including books, articles, and newspapers. The main body of the project encompasses primary research using the anthropological case study method. This method involves collecting in-depth accounts of a single case (e.g. individuals, families, institutions, and communities) that provide a detailed account of “why” and “how” a social phenomenon works. The project is relevant to a wide audience, including researchers in migration, housing, poverty, and precarity from across the social sciences, as well as policymakers, service providers, and advocacy groups working on these issues. To maximize project outcomes and impacts, a multifaceted, multistage, multimodal dissemination and exploitation plan has been devised. This project intends to make important theoretical and empirical contributions to the academic literature and also generate useful information for policymakers and service providers. The project’s theoretical discussion of action and structure, and the interaction of multiple precarities (related to housing, labor markets, and legal status), has enormous potential to strengthen analysis across and within the disciplines of housing studies, migration, and social policy, particularly in Europe. The project’s conceptual approach, findings, and results contribute to the development of South Asian diaspora studies in Europe. The project fills a critical empirical gap in knowledge of migration, housing, and precarity in Ireland, and policymakers and service providers from this country and across Europe can find its relevant policy and service responses to these issues, and it also informs advocacy groups’ campaigns and their understanding of the experiences and needs of their client group.
Before collecting data, the project revised the research proposal based on a review of the existing literature on theories and concepts of precarity, informal housing, housing pathways, and immigration and family reunification policies in the Irish context and, more generally, in the Global North. It also reviewed literature on related fields, such as migrants’ identity, income insecurity, social networks, and anti-immigration sentiments. The project intended to collect data using a mixed-methods approach. However, in practice, this was not feasible for the researcher, as some participants did not feel comfortable answering questions about their jobs, income, and immigration status, which were quite sensitive for them. In this context, the researcher, in consultation with the supervisor, decided to deviate from the original methodological plan, which included both qualitative and quantitative methods. To accelerate data collection and complete it within the designated timeframe, the approach was simplified to use only qualitative methods, which proved effective and practical during data collection.
This study employed a quasi-ethnographic approach, gathering data through casual and in-depth conversations, semi-structured interviews, and limited participation in and observation of specific community events, such as friendly sports and social gatherings held to celebrate cultural and religious festivals. The traditional anthropological ethnographic process involves collecting qualitative data via participant observation, which requires actively engaging with a community's life, systematically observing their daily behaviours, and understanding their norms and values from their perspective. In this study, it was not feasible to follow the conventional ethnographic method because the study community does not live in a single, enclosed area. They tend to move to more affordable shared housing and closer to workplaces, especially those accessible by public transport.
An earlier version of the research output “Pathways through housing precarity: suburbanisation, sharing and self-sacrifice among low-income Bangladeshi Migrants in Dublin” has been developed and made public on the UCD Library’s online Research Repository (available at: https://ideas.repec.org/p/ucd/wpaper/202501.html(opens in new window).
Based on the empirical findings, the project has submitted an academic article to the journal Housing Studies. Based on empirical findings of this study, a policy brief titled “Barriers to non-EU migrant integration in Ireland and pathways forward” was published online. Available at: https://publicpolicy.ie/papers/barriers-to-non-eu-migrant-integration-in-ireland-and-pathways-forward/(opens in new window).
This study employed a quasi-ethnographic approach, gathering data through casual and in-depth conversations, semi-structured interviews, and limited participation in and observation of specific community events, such as friendly sports and social gatherings held to celebrate cultural and religious festivals. The traditional anthropological ethnographic process involves collecting qualitative data via participant observation, which requires actively engaging with a community's life, systematically observing their daily behaviours, and understanding their norms and values from their perspective. In this study, it was not feasible to follow the conventional ethnographic method because the study community does not live in a single, enclosed area. They tend to move to more affordable shared housing and closer to workplaces, especially those accessible by public transport.
An earlier version of the research output “Pathways through housing precarity: suburbanisation, sharing and self-sacrifice among low-income Bangladeshi Migrants in Dublin” has been developed and made public on the UCD Library’s online Research Repository (available at: https://ideas.repec.org/p/ucd/wpaper/202501.html(opens in new window).
Based on the empirical findings, the project has submitted an academic article to the journal Housing Studies. Based on empirical findings of this study, a policy brief titled “Barriers to non-EU migrant integration in Ireland and pathways forward” was published online. Available at: https://publicpolicy.ie/papers/barriers-to-non-eu-migrant-integration-in-ireland-and-pathways-forward/(opens in new window).
The project has achieved significant scientific, methodological, and societal advances that surpass the current state of the art in migration, housing, and precarity studies. Through extensive qualitative fieldwork, quasi-ethnographic engagement, and theoretically informed analysis, the research has generated new insights into the lived experiences of Bangladeshi migrants facing housing precarity in Dublin. These accomplishments substantially broaden existing scholarship, introduce innovative conceptual tools, and lay a strong foundation for future research, policymaking, and societal influence.
1. RESULTS BEYOND THE STATE OF THE ART
1.1 Conceptual Innovation
A significant scientific contribution of the project is the development of the analytical concept “precarity as lived navigation”, which reframes housing precarity as a dynamic, relational, and embodied process rather than a static structural condition. This concept integrates theories of precarity, urban informality, housing pathways, and the structure–agency nexus to explain how migrants negotiate constraints, opportunities and transnational expectations. This approach surpasses the current literature, which often treats migrant housing precarity solely as an outcome of market failures or regulatory structures. The new framework advances interdisciplinary scholarship in anthropology, urban studies, and migration research and offers potential applicability to other marginalised groups across Europe.
1.2 New Empirical Insights
The project offers the first comprehensive qualitative account of Bangladeshi migrants’ housing pathways in Dublin, based on quasi-ethnographic data from 60 participants. The findings reveal previously unexamined patterns of informal housing, including rotational subletting, shared beds, short-term “seat” arrangements, and a heavy reliance on digital community platforms (WhatsApp, Facebook) for securing housing. The research highlights form of suburbanisation linked to affordability and the presence of mosques, ethnic shops, and transport networks. These insights address significant gaps in Irish and European housing research and deepen understanding of how non-EU migrants navigate competitive rental markets amid structural shortages.
1.3 Gendered Dimensions of Precarity
The study reveals significant gendered differences in housing experiences and integration trajectories. Bangladeshi migrant women often face restricted mobility, limited labour market access, and reduced autonomy due to patriarchal norms, childcare responsibilities and dependency through spousal visas. Their conceptualisation of home encompasses symbolic attachments to Europe, citizenship, and social freedoms, providing a nuanced contribution to home-making literature. These findings go beyond the state of the art by situating gender as a central axis of precarity in the Irish context.
1.4 Methodological Advances
The project developed an innovative quasi-ethnographic approach well-suited to studying dispersed, mobile, and hard-to-reach communities. By conducting fieldwork in everyday spaces such as mosques, workplaces, parks, taxis, and social gatherings, and by analysing online community interactions, the project enhances the methodological practices used to investigate housing precarity among migrants in urban settings. This hybrid method serves as a replicable model for future research focused on informal or marginalised populations.
1.5 High-Quality Research Outputs
The project has produced a substantial pipeline of scientific outputs, including: one journal article under peer review in Housing Studies; a second article in an advanced draft; a working paper published via the UCD Research Repository and a policy brief on non-EU migrant integration.
2. EXPECTED SCIENTIFIC, SOCIETAL AND POLICY IMPACTS
The project advances European excellence in migration and housing research by: (a) generating one of the most detailed qualitative datasets on non-EU migrants in Ireland; (b) introducing a new analytical framework for studying precarity; (c) demonstrating the importance of combining ethnographic insights with analyses of online housing networks and (d) providing evidence on the intersectionality of labour market, legal, and housing precarities. The research is expected to stimulate comparative studies across migrant groups and influence theoretical debates on precarious urbanism and migrant integration.
Engagement with NGOs, community organisations, and conference audiences has already enhanced awareness of migrant-specific housing vulnerabilities. Early dissemination through seminars, public talks, working papers, and social media has broadened public understanding of informal rental practices, overcrowding, discrimination, and limited mobility experienced by migrant households. The project strengthens the evidence base for advocacy, supports community empowerment, and contributes to more inclusive conversations on housing justice in Ireland.
The findings align closely with EU priorities on social inclusion, anti-discrimination, and fair housing access. The research contributes evidence to policy frameworks in areas such as rental market regulation and oversight of informal subletting; equitable access to affordable and secure housing; labour market integration and recognition of foreign qualifications; gender-responsive migration and integration policies; and pathways for family reunification and stable legal residence. The project has engaged stakeholders through NGO collaborations and policy-oriented dissemination, thus supporting evidence-informed reforms at local and national levels.
3. KEY NEEDS TO ENSURE FURTHER UPTAKE AND LONG-TERM IMPACT
To maximise impact, future work should include: (a) longitudinal studies of migrants’ evolving housing pathways; (b) comparative research with other South Asian or non-EU groups; (c) gender-focused research on women’s integration, labour access, and housing strategies; and (d) child- and family-focused studies on second-generation integration. Partnerships with NGOs, local authorities, and migrant organisations can support the co-creation of applied knowledge and policy solutions.
Targeted initiatives that could extend impact include: (a) pilot projects with housing and migrant support organisations to test evidence-based interventions; (b) policy workshops and roundtables with local councils and national agencies; and (c) community-based action research to explore practical housing solutions for migrant households. Such activities would facilitate the translation of research results into practice.
Future uptake requires enhanced access to research funding, including Horizon Europe calls (ERC, MSCA Staff Exchange, Cluster 2: Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society), national research schemes, and partnerships with philanthropic foundations. Internationalisation would strengthen the impact by linking findings with migration pathways to the UK, Italy, Portugal, and the Gulf. Publishing in high-impact journals and presenting at international conferences will further consolidate the project’s visibility.
To fully realise the societal impact, supportive policy conditions are necessary, including: enhanced oversight of informal rental arrangements; recognition of foreign professional qualifications; accessible routes to labour market participation for dependent spouses; expansion of affordable housing options that are sensitive to cultural and family needs; and improved integration supports for non-EU migrants. These regulatory measures would directly address the vulnerabilities identified in the project.
In sum, the project has achieved results that clearly surpass the state of the art by generating novel theoretical insights, rich empirical evidence, and impactful engagement with academic, policy, and civil society communities. With appropriate support, the outcomes have strong potential to inform European housing and integration policies and to shape future research agendas.
1. RESULTS BEYOND THE STATE OF THE ART
1.1 Conceptual Innovation
A significant scientific contribution of the project is the development of the analytical concept “precarity as lived navigation”, which reframes housing precarity as a dynamic, relational, and embodied process rather than a static structural condition. This concept integrates theories of precarity, urban informality, housing pathways, and the structure–agency nexus to explain how migrants negotiate constraints, opportunities and transnational expectations. This approach surpasses the current literature, which often treats migrant housing precarity solely as an outcome of market failures or regulatory structures. The new framework advances interdisciplinary scholarship in anthropology, urban studies, and migration research and offers potential applicability to other marginalised groups across Europe.
1.2 New Empirical Insights
The project offers the first comprehensive qualitative account of Bangladeshi migrants’ housing pathways in Dublin, based on quasi-ethnographic data from 60 participants. The findings reveal previously unexamined patterns of informal housing, including rotational subletting, shared beds, short-term “seat” arrangements, and a heavy reliance on digital community platforms (WhatsApp, Facebook) for securing housing. The research highlights form of suburbanisation linked to affordability and the presence of mosques, ethnic shops, and transport networks. These insights address significant gaps in Irish and European housing research and deepen understanding of how non-EU migrants navigate competitive rental markets amid structural shortages.
1.3 Gendered Dimensions of Precarity
The study reveals significant gendered differences in housing experiences and integration trajectories. Bangladeshi migrant women often face restricted mobility, limited labour market access, and reduced autonomy due to patriarchal norms, childcare responsibilities and dependency through spousal visas. Their conceptualisation of home encompasses symbolic attachments to Europe, citizenship, and social freedoms, providing a nuanced contribution to home-making literature. These findings go beyond the state of the art by situating gender as a central axis of precarity in the Irish context.
1.4 Methodological Advances
The project developed an innovative quasi-ethnographic approach well-suited to studying dispersed, mobile, and hard-to-reach communities. By conducting fieldwork in everyday spaces such as mosques, workplaces, parks, taxis, and social gatherings, and by analysing online community interactions, the project enhances the methodological practices used to investigate housing precarity among migrants in urban settings. This hybrid method serves as a replicable model for future research focused on informal or marginalised populations.
1.5 High-Quality Research Outputs
The project has produced a substantial pipeline of scientific outputs, including: one journal article under peer review in Housing Studies; a second article in an advanced draft; a working paper published via the UCD Research Repository and a policy brief on non-EU migrant integration.
2. EXPECTED SCIENTIFIC, SOCIETAL AND POLICY IMPACTS
The project advances European excellence in migration and housing research by: (a) generating one of the most detailed qualitative datasets on non-EU migrants in Ireland; (b) introducing a new analytical framework for studying precarity; (c) demonstrating the importance of combining ethnographic insights with analyses of online housing networks and (d) providing evidence on the intersectionality of labour market, legal, and housing precarities. The research is expected to stimulate comparative studies across migrant groups and influence theoretical debates on precarious urbanism and migrant integration.
Engagement with NGOs, community organisations, and conference audiences has already enhanced awareness of migrant-specific housing vulnerabilities. Early dissemination through seminars, public talks, working papers, and social media has broadened public understanding of informal rental practices, overcrowding, discrimination, and limited mobility experienced by migrant households. The project strengthens the evidence base for advocacy, supports community empowerment, and contributes to more inclusive conversations on housing justice in Ireland.
The findings align closely with EU priorities on social inclusion, anti-discrimination, and fair housing access. The research contributes evidence to policy frameworks in areas such as rental market regulation and oversight of informal subletting; equitable access to affordable and secure housing; labour market integration and recognition of foreign qualifications; gender-responsive migration and integration policies; and pathways for family reunification and stable legal residence. The project has engaged stakeholders through NGO collaborations and policy-oriented dissemination, thus supporting evidence-informed reforms at local and national levels.
3. KEY NEEDS TO ENSURE FURTHER UPTAKE AND LONG-TERM IMPACT
To maximise impact, future work should include: (a) longitudinal studies of migrants’ evolving housing pathways; (b) comparative research with other South Asian or non-EU groups; (c) gender-focused research on women’s integration, labour access, and housing strategies; and (d) child- and family-focused studies on second-generation integration. Partnerships with NGOs, local authorities, and migrant organisations can support the co-creation of applied knowledge and policy solutions.
Targeted initiatives that could extend impact include: (a) pilot projects with housing and migrant support organisations to test evidence-based interventions; (b) policy workshops and roundtables with local councils and national agencies; and (c) community-based action research to explore practical housing solutions for migrant households. Such activities would facilitate the translation of research results into practice.
Future uptake requires enhanced access to research funding, including Horizon Europe calls (ERC, MSCA Staff Exchange, Cluster 2: Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society), national research schemes, and partnerships with philanthropic foundations. Internationalisation would strengthen the impact by linking findings with migration pathways to the UK, Italy, Portugal, and the Gulf. Publishing in high-impact journals and presenting at international conferences will further consolidate the project’s visibility.
To fully realise the societal impact, supportive policy conditions are necessary, including: enhanced oversight of informal rental arrangements; recognition of foreign professional qualifications; accessible routes to labour market participation for dependent spouses; expansion of affordable housing options that are sensitive to cultural and family needs; and improved integration supports for non-EU migrants. These regulatory measures would directly address the vulnerabilities identified in the project.
In sum, the project has achieved results that clearly surpass the state of the art by generating novel theoretical insights, rich empirical evidence, and impactful engagement with academic, policy, and civil society communities. With appropriate support, the outcomes have strong potential to inform European housing and integration policies and to shape future research agendas.