While I'm not even an economist by profession, I regularly use, test and explain economic theories in my work as a housing planner. Theories of market behavior are particularly relevant to housing, since housing markets are by nature quite distorted and imperfect. There are plenty of ways in which both traditional economic notions (prices, rents, wages) as well as sociological and institutional backgrounding for economic phenomena could be integrated. One example of this kind of integrative and critical effort in housing economics literature is Gilderbloom and Applebaum's book, _Rethinking Rental Housing_ (Temple Univ Press, 1988, I think). They examine not only neo-classical works on housing markets, but also produced their own research showing how apartment rents in a variety of metropolitan markets are not responsive to changes in supply, but have social and institutional determinants as well (e.g., professionalization of property management, etc., as well as other factors they don't get into). Anyway, I signed up mostly to lurk on PEN-L, but I think it is entirely appropriate and necessary for economists (and those relying on their labors - like me) to appropriate and work with elements of neoclassical models where they can be wed to other illuminating analytic and explanatory frameworks. Markets, as we all on this list know, are not merely about supply and demand, but about cultural and ethical assumptions, and political power. Ciao for now, Tim
