Contested spaces of homelessness and being houseless: mobilising media in action-oriented research

This research explores the complex spaces of homelessness and
houselessness. In public, policy and academic discourses, the term
'homelessness' has been used in a way that is pervasive and
problematic, often as a catch-all for the loss of house and home.
This does not fit with the lived experiences of many 'homeless'
people, nor the realities witnessed by the organisations that
support them. The starting point of the research is the significance
of 'home' as a non-geographically bound, multifaceted human
experience, typically understood as shaped by emotional
geographies, place-making, social exclusion, and sense of belonging.
Drawing on social and geographical theories, the research seeks to
develop the concept of houselessness. The project asks how are
homeless and houseless identities constructed and proliferated, by
whom, and why? What impact do temporary dwelling spaces have
on homeless and houseless people and vice versa? And how can
media be deployed to have a positive influence on the lives of
homeless and houseless people? These issues will be explored with
people who are experiencing homelessness/houselessness in
Newcastle upon Tyne, through interviews, experience mapping and
participant observation. In addition, the collaboration with the
media advocacy organisation Headliners will lead to the production
of a video documentary, that interrogates and challenges
conventional depictions and understandings of homelessness in
place, and brings the voices of people experiencing these conditions
into the policy debate. The research will result in a series of high
quality academic outputs and non-academic impacts.