The 5^th Home Renaissance Foundation Conference will explore the contribution of the home to the wellbeing and happiness of individuals at all stages of life and, by implication, to wider society. It will be a great opportunity to demonstrate the vital role of the home in connecting and nurturing individuals through shared values, work, and purpose.

This conference builds upon the Home Renaissance Foundation’s (HRF) proven expertise in gathering world-class academics and professionals to present multidisciplinary research and experience relating to the life and work of the home. There is a clear public as well as academic and professional engagement with the topic of the home and its effects on society.

The 5th Conference will generate new material suitable for publication as a part of a growing series on topics relating to the home, but should also be a point of reconnection with and refreshment of themes explored in earlier HRF conferences. This will promote future evidence-based discourse and policy-making.

The conference will be organized into two streams: ‘Happiness linked to activities of the home’, and ‘Housing, connecting and social interaction’. Both streams will have keynote speakers, paper givers in dialogue, roundtable sessions and workshops.

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 datadriven 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.