What the study found
The article argues that dwelling is a fundamental mode of existence and that the 19th-century bourgeois home remains a shaping model for it. It presents a critical theory of dwelling that treats dwelling as part of subjectivation, meaning the process by which people become subjects, and places it within historical, social, and technological contexts.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors say this matters because current crises are manifesting through dwelling, including endangered habitability of the Earth, digital exploitation, mass surveillance, loneliness, and erosion of the public sphere. The study suggests that rethinking dwelling is needed in light of current existential and ecological threats.
What the researchers tested
The article develops a theoretical framework rather than reporting an empirical study. It draws on Walter Benjamin’s analysis of bourgeois interiors, Félix Guattari’s machinic and ecosophical thought, Michel Foucault’s work on space and biopower, François Béguin’s concept of the “domestic world,” and Paul Klee’s dialectic of home.
What worked and what didn't
The article critiques the hegemonic model of bourgeois dwelling and offers a framework for reimagining dwelling. The abstract does not report empirical testing, comparative evaluation, or specific outcomes beyond this conceptual critique and proposal.
What to keep in mind
The available summary is limited to the abstract, so detailed arguments, examples, and qualifications are not provided here. The article appears to be conceptual and theoretical rather than empirical, and the abstract does not describe explicit limitations.
Key points
- The article argues that dwelling is a fundamental mode of existence.
- It treats dwelling as part of subjectivation, or the process by which people become subjects.
- The 19th-century bourgeois home is described as continuing to shape and amplify current crises.
- The authors link dwelling to endangered Earth habitability, digital exploitation, mass surveillance, loneliness, and erosion of the public sphere.
- The article offers a conceptual framework for reimagining dwelling.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- The article proposes a critical theory of bourgeois dwelling
- Authors:
- Volker Bernhard
- Institutions:
- Bauhaus-Universität Weimar
- Publication date:
- 2026-04-08
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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