‘Values’ as a tool for conceptualising homelessness in the global south

Abstract

a b s t r a c tMuch of our conceptual understanding of homelessness is derived from studies underpinned by ideas and definitions developed in, and for, the industrialised world. It appears inadequate to help us address the growing phenomenon of homelessness in the Global South. Moreover, with a few exceptions literature on homelessness in the Global South tends to present good empirical understanding but to shy away from reconceptualising. We need, therefore, to build a new conceptual framework through which to understand homelessness in the Global South.Drawing on empirical research, this paper explores homelessness in the Global South through the window of 'values'. It does so in an attempt to understand why some people fall foul of the major social, political and economic changes which are perceived to be the driving force behind homelessness while others do not. It also seeks to make some sense of why homelessness and homeless people are perceived differently in different locations.

Making‐Home From Below: Domesticating Footpath and Resisting “Homelessness” in Mumbai

“…In geographical contexts where kinship ties and social networks form a central aspect of organising life and learning to survive in the city, these homogenisations obscure the specificities of dwelling practices of a vast majority of urban poor. As Speak (2013) attests, much of the work around “homelessness” in the global South has avoided “reconceptualisation” and that definitions developed in the Western countries have been borrowed without considering the locale‐specific contexts. Irrefutably, shelter‐centric mobilisations was strategically significant in drawing attention of an indifferent state to some of the immediate glaring humanitarian neglect.…”

Predicaments and Possibilities Experienced by Homeless in Karachi

“…According to Speak (2013), there is a need to re-conceptualize homelessness in the global south, as the concepts developed around homeless in the global north are not valid in the south. The reason behind this is that the contextual realities in global south are different in terms of the scale, social linkages, role of family and position of women (Tipple and Speak, 2009).…”

“…The reason behind this is that the contextual realities in global south are different in terms of the scale, social linkages, role of family and position of women (Tipple and Speak, 2009). Speak (2013) proposed understanding homelessness in terms of 'causation' and 'meaning', and in terms of the values associated with respect to politics, economics and socio-cultural realities. This premise also ties in with the idea promoted by critical realist theorists (Fitzpatrick, 2005) Foucault (Horsell, 2006(Horsell, , 2009 and Giddens (McCarthy, 2013) focused on spelling out a realist account of homelessness, aimed towards developing an sensitive understanding of the phenomena, and describe homeless as active agents of the society.…”

Influencia de los trastornos mentales, de la personalidad y problemas psicosociales en el abandono de procesos en personas sin hogar

“…Son uno de los grupos más vulnerables y desfavorecidos de la sociedad (Henry, Boyer, Belzeaux, Baumstarck-Barrau y Samuelian, 2010;Pascual et al, 2008;Speak, 2013). Además, en los úl-timos años (2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012) la población sin hogar se ha incrementado en España un 132%, falleciendo en nuestro país una persona sin hogar cada cinco días (INE, 2012).…”