This book is a concise treatise of the alternative paradigms used in BRICS countries to tackle urban housing shortages. There are a number of alternative methods for meeting these shortages which BRICS countries have adopted. These alternatives may agree in terms of desired outcome, but when it comes to approach, mechanics and scope, they are entirely divergent. By focusing on the political economy and the international structure of each BRICS country, these perspectives present alternative and often conflicting approaches to the attainment of better housing.