<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>The paper addresses the political and cultural problem underpinning mainstream narratives on homelessness. The absence of data, in conjunction with the misconceptions associated with homelessness, translate into the criminalization and stigmatization of homelessness, both at the local level and in fragmented policies at national and international levels. Section one presents an overview of homelessness as a cultural and political problem; section two then introduces the Italian situation and Bologna as a case study. After a presentation of the method followed in section three, sections four and five describe and then discuss two projects initiated by a political collective in the city of Bologna that directly involve homeless people in the deconstruction of imageries and narratives around homelessness. Finally, section six draws conclusions about the need to generate new narratives capable of accounting for the intersectional and complex nature of the phenomenon of homelessness: new narratives capable of restoring to the homeless their articulate human identity.</p>
</abstract>

The paper addresses the political and cultural problem underpinning mainstream narratives on homelessness. The absence of data, in conjunction with the misconceptions associated with homelessness, translate into the criminalization and stigmatization of homelessness, both at the local level and in fragmented policies at national and international levels. Section one presents an overview of homelessness as a cultural and political problem; section two then introduces the Italian situation and Bologna as a case study. After a presentation of the method followed in section three, sections four and five describe and then discuss two projects initiated by a political collective in the city of Bologna that directly involve homeless people in the deconstruction of imageries and narratives around homelessness. Finally, section six draws conclusions about the need to generate new narratives capable of accounting for the intersectional and complex nature of the phenomenon of homelessness: new narratives capable of restoring to the homeless their articulate human identity.

Deconstructing homelessness: Alternative narratives on and by marginalized and homeless groups in the city of Bologna

Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna

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This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Public License.

The paper addresses the political and cultural problem underpinning mainstream narratives on homelessness. The absence of data, in conjunction with the...

Deconstructing homelessness: Alternative narratives on and by marginalized and homeless groups in the city of Bologna

Published Online: Jun 27, 2024

Page range: 1 - 15

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/tjcp-2024-0011

Keywords
homelessness, housing policies, narratives on homelessness, social determinants of health, urban policies on homelessness

© 2024 Francesca Sabatini., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Public License.

Deconstructing homelessness: Alternative narratives on and by marginalized and homeless groups in the city of Bologna

Published Online: Jun 27, 2024

Page range: 1 - 15

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/tjcp-2024-0011

Keywordshomelessness, housing policies, narratives on homelessness, social determinants of health, urban policies on homelessness

© 2024 Francesca Sabatini., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Public License.

Keywords
homelessness, housing policies, narratives on homelessness, social determinants of health, urban policies on homelessness