“The levels of mental disorders, depression and even suicide have increased among the new generations of university students. It is an epidemic that has to do with the impact of technology on our way of life”, Ignacio Aizpún, director general of ATAM.

Madrid | 5 Nov 2021. On the occasion of the presentation of the book The Home in the Digital Age by the international think tank Home Renaissance Foundation, a round table discussion with experts took place last week at Telefónica Foundation to analyse the impact of technology in the home.

The impact of technology on homes and society as a whole is evident, “it is even transforming the way our minds communicate. This has consequences and is causing new diseases due to maladjustment,” explained Ignacio Aizpún, director general of ATAM.

The sociologist and member of the Academy of Sciences and Arts, Julio Díez Nicolás, stated that technology has been with us since the Stone Age, because human beings must survive. Thanks to human intelligence and life in society, people are adapting. “Technology has always been the fundamental factor of social change because it provides us with a different future. Today there are five inventions that will change our lives: artificial intelligence, robotics, 3D printing, holograms and virtual reality,” said Díaz.

But what is Artificial Intelligence and how does it affect our daily lives? María José Monferrer, an engineer and founder of AI-verse, tried to answer this question. She defined AI as a “multidisciplinary field of science and engineering whose aim is to create intelligent machines that emulate human intelligence and, eventually, surpass that intelligence. Therein lies the risk.

Monferrer warned that we have implemented some technologies in the home, but we are only at the beginning of the uses we will be able to make of AI. So it’s a good time to stop and assess the risks. It is important to think about how we can apply the rules to protect the fundamental rights at stake: personal data protection, privacy and non-discrimination.

ATAM is clear about the use of AI, as Aizpún stated, “we need to be able to process the information that AI provides us with in the form of data to learn more about the person, their situation, their health variables, their activity, their functioning, their context. Only by transmitting, governing and activating this data in a secure way will we be able to generate responses and solutions that allow the disabled or dependent person to continue living at home in optimal conditions of safety, health and integrity”.

The three speakers and the Director-General of Childhood, Family and Birth Promotion, Alberto San Juan, who closed the event, agreed on the importance of putting the person at the centre of this technological transformation and on continuous, personal and family training as a solution to many of the challenges presented by technologies in the home. “The family must be cared for as the most precious asset and this is done with love, patience and training. The lifelong School for Parents is still essential and necessary. In the Community of Madrid we are facing real dramas due to the misuse of technology among young people,” warned San Juan.

In 2008, the Community of Madrid created a service to help families, inviting them to discuss their concerns about the misuse of technology in the home.  Alberto San Juan explained “we attend to families with children between 10 and 18 years old. Families come when they suspect that their children’s relationship with technology is not good and is not helping family coexistence. Young people are sometimes betting on each other having a 24, 48, which means spending two days in a row playing games and connected to the Internet”.

Despite the risks that technology can pose for households, it was clear that technology is neutral, it is neither good nor bad, in itself, it depends on the use that people make of it, although Aizpún wanted to stress that we have an important mission, “we must create new social institutions, new models of social organisation that allow human beings to adapt to these new environmental conditions that technology is creating”.

The event can be watched again here.

In 2020 we published our second book “People, Care and Work in the Home”. It would be hard to find a more important time for its publication. Covid19 brought to the forefront of all our lives the importance of the home and the people, work and care that happens within them.

We launched the book worldwide via Zoom on Thursday, January 21 in collaboration with Nottingham Trent University. The editors and some of the authors participated and the whole event is now available on our youtube chanel. Click here. 

The book, published with Routledge, brings together academic and professional expertise in these fields, first gathered at the 2017 4th International HRF Conference: “A Home, a place of growth, care and wellbeing.”

What was clear at the conference was that these vital things – growth and wellbeing – do not just “happen.” For strong, healthy individuals, families, and communities there needs to be attention paid and support given to the frontline of where these patterns begin – at home.

Professor Mohamed Gamal Abdelmonem, Professor and Chair in Architecture at Nottingham Trent University, and Professor Antonio Argandoña, Emeritus Professor of Economics and Business Ethics at IESE Business School, editors of People, Care and Work in the Home worked with contributors to bring to wider attention this multidisciplinary approach to society’s key building blocks.

Lord Best, co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Housing and Care for Older People, stresses the need for “right-sizing” in homes for later life. Baroness Hollins, Emeritus Professor of the Psychiatry and Disability,  speaks from the personal and professional experience of the value of homes for those with intellectual disabilities: My home, my life.

This recent pandemic, the lockdown and enforced time at home together have given new energy to those determined to champion the unique and priceless role it plays in our lives and the work involved in making it happen. In the words of Professor Argandoña:

“The home grows with solidarity, sharing everything. And the most complete way of sharing is love, that is, to take care of others. That is what we learn at home throughout our lives, although in a different way at each stage of that life. In this period of confinement, we have learned to live together, ignoring the deficiencies of others; to share, that is, to give and give ourselves.”

People, Care and Work in the Home is a very important articulation of that insight to inform both research and policy in how we value what is given and what is received at home.

We can be happy, despite everything we are experiencing

• Homes are the fundamental basis as a source of security in our lives
• Happiness = Care + Empathy + Home
• Happiness in our homes is being greatly influenced by digital media and technologies
• Classical model allows us to analyse the impact of households in the public sphere
• The neighbourhood is the right community for home-society relationships
• Different ideologies have been modifying the structure of our homes

London Nov 13. We can be happy, despite everything we are experiencing. This is the first big conclusion we reached after two days talking about happiness in the home and how domestic life contributes to the happiness of society. The topic was chosen before the pandemic hit, but it has only reinforced the importance of research in this area. “To a great extent our happiness depends on our attitude towards life, on how we face, take care of and work on our personal relationships at home. A place that constitutes the fundamental base as a source of security in our lives”, according to Lord Layard and Prof. Chirinos, who also drew strong connections between the home, work and care as key to human flourishing. Outlining the specific contribution of these areas, she sees the home as the place where both work ethics and the empathy for care are learnt and developed.

Prof. Wessels and Prof. Bakardjieva also agree on this, they are clear that the entry of new technologies into the home has eroded our family lives, has caused inequalities and what seem to be connected homes could well be the opposite. The use that we make of these digital media and on how we understand that connectivity, our happiness will depend.

From a philosophical point of view and taking into account the contributions of Prof. Nogal and Dr. Thunder, the influence of our private lives in the public sphere can be seen. She argues that we have to return to classical model to find that relationship, for without a doubt the part individuals play in society depends upon the early formative influences of home. According to Dr. Thunder, the way in which the person is incorporated into society and establishes ties with the outside world is very well articulated through an intermediate community – the neighbourhood.

But none of this would make sense if we did not also understand how our homes are structured and why spaces are distributed as we now know them. A historical and sociological review by Dr. Davies analysed how our houses have been built throughout history based on the dominant ideologies in each era.

Academics and experts from different perspectives presented their research through video accessible on our website and social networks. The next steps of this Conference will be workshops and a new publication as the fruit of this research. Paper givers from nine different countries will participate in the online workshops to be held in 2021 in which they will share their studies. The Scientific Committee will select papers to contribute to future publication.

To date, Home Renaissance Foundation has published numerous working papers available on our website and two books:
The Home: Multidisciplinary Reflections by Edgar Publishing
People, Care and Work in the Home by Routledge Publishing
A third. The Home in the Digital Age is currently being prepared for publication.

Any queries, please contact: Ángela de Miguel Press@homerenaissancefoundation.org

On November 12th and 13th, the international think tank Home Renaissance Foundation, supported by the Social Trends Institute, will hold its 5th Academic and Interdisciplinary Conference “Happy Homes, Happy Society? The contribution of domestic life in a time of social changes.”

AGENDA CONFERENCE

Academics and experts from different perspectives will present their research through video accessible on our website and social networks. The renowned economist Lord Layard, as a part of his contribution, will highlight the need for policies to support parents and children as these are the key relationships in promoting happiness and well-being in the home for individuals, families and wider society.

From the point of view of Communication and new technologies, Prof. Bakardjieva will analyse to what extent digital media have invaded and eroded our private sphere and how they have changed our relationships and even our domestic activity. Prof. Wessels will focus on the ways in which the increasing use and reliance on digital connectivity and data-driven services is underpinning developments of ‘connected homes’. ‘Feeling at home’ summarises the multidimensionality of wellbeing. It conveys how material living standards, services, information, security, communication, relationships and companionship create homes.

The philosopher Maria Pia Chirinos will delve into the importance of the recognition of care by citizens to achieve a more humanised society. We come from the era described as “the civilization of work” and according to Chirinos care should be recognised as a property of all human work, and as a key to humanising a civilization that has made technology and environment into its gods.

Dr. Thunder reflects on the role of the neighbourhood as a specific dimension for a healthy relationship between the home and its members and society at large. The differences between the terms family, home, community and society will be exposed.

Dr. Davies will put the historical point of view in this conference with an analysis of the structure of homes and why. He assures that there is evidence that shows that happy homes make for a happy society but that even in the way houses are designed there are economic, social, political, or ideological influences. It states that the design of a home is derived from pre-established ideas about how people should live and what the nature of their family should be.

Finally, Prof. Agnieszka Nogal from Political Philosophy suggests turning to the classical model of thought to find a relationship between households and the public sphere since liberal theory does not conceptualize this relationship. Prof. Nogal affirms that homes are essential for public space since they are the place where not only children, but every citizen grows and develops.

Researchers from 9 different countries have sent their papers and will participate in the online workshops to be held in 2021 in which they will share their studies.

As a result of the work of the contributing academics and a selection of papers by the Scientific Committee, a new publication will be worked on. To date, Home Renaissance Foundation has published numerous working papers available on our website and two books:

The Home: Multidisciplinary Reflections by Edgar Publishing

People, Care and Work in the Home by Routledge Publishing

The third will be published soon.

For any additional information or possible interview with speakers or HRF members, you can contact us at press@homerenaissancefoundation.org

To buy the book now

It would be hard to find a more important time for the publication of People, Care and Work in the Home. These last months have brought to the forefront of all our lives the importance of the home and the people, work and care that happens within them.

The book, published this week with Routledge, brings together academic and professional expertise in these fields, first gathered at the 2017 4th International HRF Conference: “A Home, a place of growth, care and wellbeing.”

What was clear at the conference was that these vital things – growth and wellbeing  – do not just “happen.” For strong, healthy individuals, families and communities there needs to be attention paid and support given to the frontline of where these patterns begin – at home.

Professor Mohamed Gamal Abdelmonem and Professor Antonio Argandoña, editors of People, Care and Work in the Home have worked with contributors to bring to wider attention this multidisciplinary approach to society’s key building blocks.

Sir Harry Burns, professor of Global Public Health at the University of Strathclyde, and former Chief Medical Officer for Scotland, underlines the importance of home for life-long health and healthy relationships in his contribution to the publication:

“From the outside, a home is simply a building. It’s inside that the magic happens. If a home is a place where children feel safe and happy, they will learn they are loved and respected and, as a result, they are likely to grow up to love and respect others. They will grow in health and wellbeing and develop a sense of purpose, allowing them to make decisions as to the future direction of their lives. Children who experience a nurturing, safe upbringing are likely, as adults, to create a positive home environment for their own children and so, positive outcomes for families are handed on to the next generation.”

If those early experiences are not positive the results are less happy, less healthy for individuals and for society – examples of which are not hard to find.

This recent pandemic, the lockdown and enforced time at home together has given new energy to those determined to champion the unique and priceless role it plays in our lives. In the words of Professor Argandoña:

“The home grows with solidarity, sharing everything. And the most complete way of sharing is love, that is, to take care of others. That is what we learn at home throughout our lives, although in a different way at each stage of that life. In this period of confinement we have learned to live together, ignoring the deficiencies of others; to share, that is, to give and give ourselves.”

People, Care and Work in the Home is a very important articulation of that insight to inform both research and policy in how we value what is given and what is received at home.

Home Renaissance Foundation informs you of the 5th International & Interdisciplinary Conference which will be held on November 12-13th 2020 at the Royal Society of Medicine in London.

The Conference will explore the contribution of the home to the wellbeing and happiness of individuals at all stages of life and, by implication and evidence, to wider society. Richard Layard author of “Happiness: Lessons from a New Science” will be our Keynote Speaker.

This is a great opportunity to demonstrate the vital role of the home in connecting and nurturing individuals through shared values, work and purpose. This will promote future evidence-based discourse and policy-making in regard to the home.

Call for Papers

The Call for Papers is now open! If you are researching the contribution of the home to the happiness of society, click below to read the requirements for submission. These are just some ideas about the different topics that will be addressed in the Conference.

• Reflect on the transformations of happiness concept
• Ask ourselves why the economy recently began to be interested in the subject of happiness
• Point out that the quality of domestic comfort is one of the most important factors influencing human lifestyles, wellbeing and happiness
• Ask ourselves whether the use of technological innovations is increasing the degree of happiness in family life and study its impact on relationships with previous generations
• Underline the importance that building, designing and urban planning take into consideration the quality of family life and the opportunity of encounter and mutual assistance
• Reflect on the link between housework and happiness

The Proposal submission deadline will be April 30^th, 2020. Proposals selected will automatically be eligible for a 45% discounted registration fee of the conference fee.

DOWNLOAD CALL FOR PAPERS

If you would like more information on the Conference, please consult our website: www.hrfconference2020.org
or email us at research@homerenaissancefoundation.org

Help us to promote this event by passing this information on to anyone who think might be interested in the Conference. Thank you!

REGISTER NOW!

As you know, the Day of the Family was celebrated worldwide on May 15, a date established by the UN 26 years ago in recognition of its value as a basic pillar of society.

This year the focus was on ‘Families and Climate Action’, an issue that undoubtedly affects the planet as a whole and has a negative impact, not only on the economy but also on the lives of people.

The Family Studies Institute, The Family Watch, held a roundtable on May 14 at the Spanish Parliament in Madrid, to discuss the role of the home in relation to climate change and to explain to those who legislate what practices can be carried out to mitigate this threat. Our Project and Media Manager, Angela de Miguel, participated in the debate, which drew many of the conclusions that we already reached at our International Conference on Home and Sustainability, held in London in 2011.

Without sustainable homes, there is no sustainable planet. It is essential to teach our children the importance of caring for the environment and to act as an example to them. If we do not learn to take care of our home, we will hardly take care of everything else. This planet is not just ours, it will be inherited by future generations. If we give it the value it deserves, we will take better care of it.

If one thing is clear to us at the Home Renaissance Foundation, it is the importance of a social and cultural transformation in terms of sustainability. We wish to promote change and to be catalysts through research, as we urgently need to apply sustainable practices so as not to deplete the resources offered by nature. If you want real advice or good practices to follow in your home, you can follow us on Instagram @smarthomemanagement There you will find many helpful ideas on management and home care.

Furthermore, we wish to announce our collaboration with International Federation for Family Development in the International Congress that is being organised in London in October, entitled ‘Family, the face of humanity’.  All the information is available on its website. It will be a great opportunity to see each other again and share enriching reflections on the family and its solid support to society.