HOMELESSNESS AND THE MEANING OF HOME - ROOFLESSNESS OR ROOTLESSNESS

This paper explores the meanings of home and homelessnes which have been a recent focus of interest among housing researchers. It is argued that home and homelessness are complex ideological constructs, with many dimensions of meaning which are commonly ignored or misrecognized in practice. Analysis of these meanings is a prerequisite for the adequate explanation of home and homelessness in contemporary society. Such explanation involves placing the meanings both in their immediate contexts of social relations and in the wider context of social systems as patterns of meaningful order. The paper indicates some of the contextual connections which appear to be most important, drawing attention in particular to the significance of gender differences in the immediate context and class differences in the wider context.