Homelessness, Social Policy and Difference
Keywords:
Homelessness, social inclusion, problem definition, redistribution, voiceAbstract
In the context of market globalisation and the restructuring of welfare states in the industrialised West, social exclusion has become a central concept in articulating social disadvantage over the last 30 years. The project of social inclusion has assumed a pred- ominant position in policy frameworks to progress the values of social democracy. In Australia and internationally, homelessness has been identified as both a core outcome and cause of social exclusion. Using the South Australian Social Inclusion Initiative to address homelessness as a case in point, I argue that conceptually and operationally the discourse of social exclusion and social inclusion used by government policy bodies and service providers in the homeless sector has been largely informed by an uncritical acceptance of existing and normative social relations. However, social inclusion discourses have been an outcome of specific social, economic and political processes. I conclude that this has significant implications for social and welfare education regarding the development of critical skills in social policy analysis and critical social work. Findings from this recent study help theorise contemporary policy responses in the homeless sector and profile the nuanced issues of voice and emotion, as important new frontiers policy debates regarding the vexed questions of redistribution and recognition.
References
Arthurson, K and Jacobs, K. (2004) A critique of the concept of social exclusion and its utility for Australian housing policy.
Australian Journal of Social Issues, vol. 9 no. 1 pp. 25-40.
Bagley, C., Ackerley, C. and Rattray, J. (2004) Social exclusion, sure start and organisational social capital: Evaluating interdisciplinary multi-agency working in an education and health work programme. Journal of Educational Policy, vol. 19 n. 5 pp. 595-597.
Bauman Z. (2004) Wasted Lives. Cambridge: Policy Press.
Barry, B. (2002) Social exclusion, social isolation and the distribution of income. In J. Hill,J. LeGrand and D.Piachaud, Understanding Social Exclusion, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp.13–30.
Bradshaw, J.(2003). How has the Notion of Social Exclusion Developed in the European Discourse? The 2003 Australian Social Policy Conference.
Braun, V. and Clarke, V. ( 2006) Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, vol. 3 no. 2 pp.77-101. Bryson, L. (1992) Welfare and the State: Who Benefits, London: Allen and Unwin.
Burchardt, T. and Huerta, C. (2008) Introduction: Resilience and social exclusion. Social Policy and Society, vol. 8 no. 1 pp. 59- 61.
Burchardt, T. Legrand, J. and Piachaud, D. (2002) Introduction. In J. Hill, J. LeGrand and D.Piachaud, Understanding Social Exclusion, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp.1-10.
Burchardt,T., Legrand, J. and Piachaud, D. (2002) Degrees of exclusion. In J. Hill, J. LeGrand and D Piachaud, Understanding Social Exclusion, Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp.30-44.
Burgmann, V. (2003) Power, Profit and Protest Australian Social Movements and Globalisation. Crows Nest, NSW, Australia: Allen and Unwin.
Cappo, D. (2002) Social inclusion, Participation and Empowerment, Speech to the Australian Council of Social Services National Congress, November 2002
Chamberlain, C. and Johnson, G.( 2001) The debate about homelessness. Australian Journal of Social Issues, vol. 36 no.1 pp.35- 50.
Chamberlain, C. and Mackenzie, D. (2003) How many homeless in 2001? Just Policy, vol. 31 pp. 3-13
Chamberlain, C. and Mackenzie,D. (2008) Australian Census Analytic Program: Counting the Homeless 2006. Canberra: Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Crowther, C. (2000) The politics and economics of disciplining an inclusive and exclusive society. Social Policy Review vol. 14 pp. 199-225.
Chung, D., Kennedy, R., O’Brien, B., and Wendt, S. (2000) Home Safe Home: The Link between Domestic Violence and Family Violence and Women’s Homelessness. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia.
Fairclough, N. (1992) Discourse and Social Change. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Fairclough, N. (2000) New Labour, New Language. London, New York: Routledge.
Fairclough, N. (1995) Critical Discourse Analysis: The Critical Study of Language. London: Longman.
Fischer, F. (2003). Reframing Public Policy: Discursive Politics and Deliberative Practices, Oxford: Oxford University Press. Foucault, M. (1979) Discipline and Punishment: The Birth of the Prison. London: Peregrine.
Foucault, M. (1980) Power/Knowledge: Selected Interviews and Other Writings, C. Gordon (ed), Brighton: Harvester. Gillard, J. and Wong, P. (2007) An Australian Social Inclusion Agenda, Australian Labor Party - http://www.kevin07.com.au Hansard (2000) South Australian Parliamentary Debates. House of Assembly-Estimates Committee, 29 July 2002
Hansard (2002) South Australian Parliamentary Debates. Legislative Council, Monday 8 July 2002
Hastings, A. (2000). Discourse analysis: What does it offer housing studies? Housing, Theory and Society, 17(3), 131-139.
Hoggett, P. (2000) Social policy and the emotions. In G. Lewis, S. Gerwitz and J. Clarke, Rethinking Social Policy, London: Sage. pp. 141-155.
Hoggett, P. (2006) Pity, compassion, solidarity. In S. Clarke, P. Hoggett and S. Thompson, Emotion, Politics and Society. London: Palgrave. pp. 145-161.
Hoggett, P. (2009) Politics, Identity and Emotion. Boulder,CO: Paradigm.
Hulse, K,. Jacobs, K., and Arthurson, K. (2011) At home and in place? The role of housing in social inclusion. AHURI Final Report No 77, Melbourne: Australia Housing and Urban Research Institute.
Jacobs, K., Kemeny, K. and Manzi, T. (2004) ( Eds) Social Constructionism in Housing Research, Aldergate UK: Ashgate.
Kennett, P. (1999) Homelessness, citizenship and social exclusion. In P. Kennett and A. Marsh, Homelessness: Exploring the new terrain. Bristol: Policy Press.
Leonard, P. (1997) Postmodern Welfare: Reconstructing an Emancipatory Project, London: Sage.
Levitas, R. (1996). The concept of social exclusion and the new Durkheimian hegemony. Critical Social Policy, 16(46), 5-20. Levitas, R. (1998) The Inclusive Society? Social Exclusion and New Labour. London: Macmillan.
Levitas, R. (2004) The concept and measurement of social exclusion. In C. Pantazis, D. Gordon, and R. Levitas. (Eds.) Poverty and Social Exclusion, Bristol: Policy Press.
Levitas, R. (2005) The Inclusive Society? Social Exclusion and New Labour, 2nd edition. London: Macmillan.
Luthar, S., Cicchetti, D., and Becker, B. (2000). The construct of resilience: A critical evaluation and guidelines for future work.
Child Development, 71, 543-562.
Madanipour, A. (1998). Social exclusion and space. In A. Madanipour, G. Cars, and J. Allen (Eds) Social Exclusion in European Cities, Processes, Experiences and Responses. London: The Stationery Office. pp.75-94.
Marsh, A. and Mullins, D. (1998) The social exclusion perspective and housing studies: Origins, applications and limitations. Housing Studies, vol. 89 no. 4 pp.749-760.
Marston, G. (2008) Technocrat or intellectual? Reflections on the role of housing researchers in the social sciences. Housing, Theory and Society, vol. 25 no.3 pp. 177 – 190.
Mohaupt, S. (2009) Some useful sources. Social Policy and Society, vol. 9 no.1 pp.141-145.
Newman, L., Bierdrzycki, K., Baum, F., and Patterson, J. (2007) A Rapid Appraisal Case Study of the South Australian Social Inclusion Initiative: A Report prepared by the Social Exclusion Knowledge Network of the World Health Organisations Social Determinants of Health, Australian Health Inequities Program (Department of Health, Flinders University of South Australia and the Social Inclusion Unit (Department of Premier and Cabinet). Adelaide: Government of South Australia.
Nussbaum, M. (2000) Women and human development: The capabilities approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Nussbaum, M. (2001) Upheavals in Emotion: The Intelligence of Emotions. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Nussbaum, M. (2011) Creating Capabilities. Cambridge Mass: Belknap.
Parsell, C. (2010) Homeless is what I am not who I am: Insights from an inner city Brisbane study. Urban Policy and Research, vol. 28 no.2 pp.181-294.
Parsell, C. (2011) Homeless identities: Enacted and enscribed. British Journal of Sociology, vol. 62 no.3 pp. 442-461. Pleace, N. (1998) Single homelessness as social exclusion. Social Policy and Administration, vol. 32 no.1 pp.46-59. Rann, M. (2002) Speech to the Australian Labor Party Convention, 12 October
Robinson, C. (2002). I think home is more than a building: Young homeless people on the cusp of home, self and something else. Urban Policy and Research, vol. 20 no. 1 p.27-38.
Robinson, C. (2003) Understanding iterative homelessness: The Case of people with mental disorders. AHURI, UNSW – UWS Research Centre.
Room, G. (2002) (ed.) Beyond the Threshold: The Measurement and Analysis of Social Exclusion. Bristol: Policy Press. Saunders, P. and Walter, J. (2005). Ideas and Influence, Social Science and Public Policy in Australia. Sydney: UNSW Press. Sen, A. (1985) Commodities and Capabilities, Amsterdam: Elvisier.
Sen, A. (1992) Inequality Re-examined. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Sen, A. (1999) Development as Freedom, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Sen, A. (2005) Human rights and capabilities. Journal of Human Development, vol.6, pp.151-166.
Smyth, P. (2010) In or Out? Building an Inclusive Nation. Albert Park, Victoria: The Australian Association.
Social Exclusion Unit (1997) Social Exclusion Unit: Purpose, Work Priorities and Working Methods, London: HMSO.
Social Inclusion Board (2003a) Everyone’s Responsibility: Reducing Homelessness in South Australia. Adelaide: Government of South Australia
Social Inclusion Unit (2003b) Making the connections: School retention action plan: Preliminary evaluation report: Securing a better future for all South Australians. Adelaide: Department of Premier and Cabinet, State of South Australia.
Social Inclusion Board (2011) How Did South Australia Create a World Leading Approach to Social Inclusion that Achieves Real Results?, Adelaide: Government of South Australia
Somerville, P. (1998) Explanations of social exclusion: Where does housing fit in? Housing Studies, vol. 13 no.6 pp.761-780.
South Australian Labor Party (2001) Social Inclusion: Labor’s Social Justice Plan - Directions Statement. Adelaide: South Australian Labor Party.
Thomson, P. (2002) Schooling the Rustbelt Kids: Making the Difference in Changing Times. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen and Unwin.
Veness, A. R. (1993) Neither homed nor homeless: Contested definition and the personal work of the poor. Political Geography. Vol. 12 no.4 pp.319-340.
Walby, S. (2000) Beyond the politics of location: The power of argument in a global era. Feminist Theory, vol.1 no 2 pp.189 – 206.
Walker, A. (1990) Blaming the victims. In C. Murray (ed) The Emerging British Underclass. London: Institute of Economic Affairs.
Walter, M., Taylor, S. and Habibus, D. (2010) How white is social work in Australia? Australian Social Work. vol.64 no.1 pp. 6-20.
Waterford, D. (2005) Broadening our understanding of homelessness. Parity. Vol. 18 pp.1 pp. 14 -15.
Watson, S. (2000) Homelessness revisited: New reflections on old paradigms. Urban Policy and Research. vol.18 no. 2 pp.159- 170.
Weedon, C. (1987) Feminist Practice and Post Structuralist Theory. Oxford: Blackwell.
Whelan, B. and Whelan, C. (2002). In what sense is poverty multidimensional? in Room, G. (Ed.) Beyond the Threshold: The Measurement and Analysis of Social Exclusion. Bristol: PolicyPress, pp. 29-48.
Williams, F. (1992) Somewhere over the rainbow: Universality and diversity in social policy. In Social Policy Review 4, (Eds). N. Manning and R. Page, Social Policy Association, Canterbury: Canterbury, pp.200-219.
Williams, F. (1999) Good enough principles for welfare. Journal of Social Policy, vol. 28 no 4 pp.667-687.
Williams, F. (2001) In and beyond New Labour: Towards a new political ethics of care. Critical Social Policy, vol. 21 no.4 pp. 467-493.
Young, I. M. (2000) Inclusion and Democracy, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Zufferey, C. (2002) Towards client centred Service provision for homeless persons with complex needs. Parity, vol 15 no.5 pp. 10-12.
Zufferey, C. (2004) The Voice of the vulnerable: Partnerships between service users and service providers. Parity, vol. l7 no.9 p.19.
Zufferey, C. and Kerr, L. (2004) Identity and everyday experiences of homelessness: Some implications for social work. Australian Social Work, vol.57 no.4 pp. 43-353.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2013 Australian and New Zealand Social Work and Welfare Education and Research
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Advances in Social Work & Welfare Education by Australian and New Zealand Social Work and Welfare Education and Research (ANZSWWER) is licensed under CC BY 4.0
