“The World is my Backyard”: Romanticization, Thoreauvian Rhetoric, and Constructive Confrontation in the Tiny House Movement

Are Tiny Homes Here to Stay? A Review of Literature on the Tiny House Movement

“…Furthermore, certain “green” features often employed by tiny house owners (for example, graywater or compostable toilets) may not be permissible. When viewed as a mobile home, many regulations restrict where homes can be parked legally—and mobile home communities (trailer parks) and recreational vehicle communities do not always allow tiny houses (Anson, ).…”

“…However, as tiny houses gain more national recognition, they have become a part of popular culture feeding into the consumerism trends they were supposed to deviate from. Anson (, p. 292) stated, “Popular media is undeniably bound to the commoditization of environmental sustainability in a market that continues to shelter economic and class privilege.” This brought attention to a glaring discrepancy between the theory and practice of the movement.…”

“…The “tiny house movement” has been gaining popularity in the public consciousness in recent years. The movement has been informed by a general interest in “minimizing, de‐cluttering, and downsizing” that has its origins in the 19th century romanticism of Thoreau and Emerson (Anson, ; Morrison, ). The movement's development has also been influenced by the 20th century minimalist credo that “less is more.” The main assumption of the tiny house movement is that homeowners can reduce the environmental impact and increase affordability by reducing their spatial footprint.…”

“…Due to the recent emergence of the tiny house movement, there have been relatively few academic discussions surrounding tiny houses and their alleged feasibility as a long‐term sustainable housing solution (Anson, ). Tiny houses have been widely covered in other media including periodical articles, narratives, blogs, and television shows, but examination of the movement from an academic perspective is limited.…”

Integrating tiny and small homes into the urban landscape: History, land use barriers and potential solutions

“…Among them are increased environmental concerns, a growing dissatisfaction with excessive materialism, a greater cultural awareness of the American cycle of debt, and a desire to use small structures as a practical means of housing the poor and homeless (Gauer, 2004;Heben 2014;Anson 2014). However, housing affordability is likely the greatest driver behind the growing interest in tiny houses.…”