Structure and agency

The divide between agency and structural explanations of the causes of social phenomena has dominated research on housing as in other social fields. However, there has been some research that has sought to transcend this schism by combining agency and structural dimensions in the understanding of housing processes and outcomes. The article reviews the two most common approaches to doing this in housing research – structuration (following the work of Giddens) and critical realism. The example of research on homelessness is used to show how the approaches have been applied to housing issues.

Effect of fat replacement by inulin on textural and structural properties of short dough biscuits

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of inulin as fat replacer on short dough biscuits and their corresponding doughs. A control formulation, with no replacement, and four formulations in which 10, 20, 30, and 40 % of shortening was replaced by inulin were studied. In the dough, shortening was observed surrounding flour components. At higher fat replacement levels, flour was more available for hydration leading to significant (P<0.05) harder doughs: from 2.76 (0.12)N in 10 % fat-replaced biscuits to 5.81 (1.56)N in 30 % fat-replaced ones. Biscuit structure was more continuous than dough structure. A continuous fat layer coated the matrix surface, where starch granules were embedded. In general, weight loss during baking and water activity decreased significantly (P<0.05) as fat replacement increased. Biscuit dimensions and aeration decreased when fat replacement increased, e.g., width gain was +1.20 mm in 10 fat-replaced biscuits and only +0.32 mm in 40 % fat-replaced ones. Panelist found biscuits with 20 % of fat replacement slightly harder than control biscuits. It can be concluded that shortening may be partially replaced, up to 20 %, with inulin. These low fat biscuits are similar than the control biscuits, and they can have additional health benefits derived from inulin presence.