discursive essay on homelessness

Essays About Homelessness: Top 8 Examples Plus Prompts

Everyone has heard of homeless people at some point in their lives; if you are writing essays about homelessness , read our top essay examples and prompts.

Poverty is one of the greatest evils in the world. Its effects are seen daily, from people begging on the streets to stealing to support their families. But unfortunately, one of the most prominent and upsetting diversity is homelessness . Homelessness is a significant problem in even the most developed nations, including the U.S. and Canada. Despite all the resources used to fight this issue, countries often lack the means to reduce homelessness significantly. With the proper aid, homelessness can be entirely eradicated in the future. 

If you want to write essays about homelessness , keep reading to see our essay examples and helpful writing prompts.

2. A journey with the homeless by Sujata Jena

3. i chose to be homeless: reflections on the homeless challenge by emily kvalheim, 4. my experience being homeless by scott benner, 5. what people get wrong when they try to end homelessness by james abro, 1. causes of homelessness , 2. how can homelessness be reduced, 3. mental illness and homelessness, 4. reflection on homelessness, 5. is homelessness a “personal problem”.

Are you looking for more? Check out our guide packed full of transition words for essays

1. That Homeless Man is My Brother by Megan Regnerus

“But the subtext of my friend’s statement is really Why should I give money to someone who’s lazy; who isn’t willing to work for money like I do?’ And to that I say, her opinion that people who ask for money are freeloaders who could work but choose not to, is based on assumption. It relies on the notion that the two things that shape us into able-bodied adults who can hold down a regular job, nature and nurture, are level playing fields. And they’re not.”

Regnerus writes about a friend’s claim that the homeless are “lazy,” reminding her of her homeless brother. She cites genetics and circumstance as contributing factors to homelessness . Despite the other woman being her friend, Regnerus strongly refutes her belief that the homeless are non-disabled freeloaders- they should be treated with empathy. For more, check out these articles about homelessness .

“I realize that the situation of poverty and homelessness is a huge social problem around the world. But when I meet them, I face fellow human beings, not some abstract “social problem.” The very phrase, “What would Jesus do at this scene?” haunted me.  I ventured to ask their names, age, where they came from, where they live (street, bridges, cemetery) and the reason they are on the streets . Their stories are poignant. Each one has a unique story to tell about his/her reason to be homeless, how they were forced to leave distant rural villages to live on the city streets . I tried to listen to them with empathy.”

In her essay, Jena remembers the homeless people in Manila, Philippines. She can see them beyond some “aspect of society” as human beings. She empathizes with them extensively and recalls the words of Jesus Christ about loving others, particularly the neediest.

“I, too, have not been compassionate enough, and I have allowed my prejudices to distort my view of the homeless. One woman, who sat across from me at a feeding program, talking to herself erratically, may have seemed strange to me before the Homeless Challenge . But when I really saw myself as her equal, and when I took the time to watch her get up and laugh as she danced to the music playing in the background, I thought she was beautiful. She had found her own happiness, amidst despair.”

Kvalheim details her experiences during an immersion challenge with the homeless. She recalls both the discrimination and generosity she experienced and her experiences with other homeless people. She was amazed to see how they could stay positive despite their terrible circumstances. We should be thankful for what we have and use it to help others in need. 

“As my funds dwindled, and the weather got colder, I sought shelter at Father Bill’s in Quincy Ma. When you are homeless, sometimes very small things mean a lot. A dry pair of socks, shoes without holes, a pocketful of change. You begin to realize how much you value your personal space. You begin to realize other people want space too. A lot of people have issues or have suffered in one way or another and you can see their pain. I think that there are people who for a variety of issue are chronically homeless and a larger portion of homeless are transitioning through a series of bad events.”

Benner’s essay, written for the company ArtLifting, reflects on his experience of being homeless for a brief while. Then, he and his wife grew ill, and Benner sought refuge at a homeless shelter after his company shut down. After that, he realized how his struggles were very different from those of others and the value of the more minor things he previously took for granted. Luckily, he escaped homelessness by making art with the help of ArtLifting. 

“The court denied my sister’s request and named me our mother’s legal guardian, but it appointed my sister as guardian of her property.  In 2009, when my mother passed away, my sister evicted me. The day I was scheduled to move out, I stood in a convenience store, dazed, as I stared at microwaveable meals.  These would be my new staple when I moved into the motel room. My phone rang—my sister.  She told me she needed me out of the house in a couple of hours—she was a real estate agent and a client wanted to see the house. ‘No hard feelings,’ she said.”

Similar to Benner, Abro narrates the circumstances surrounding his homelessness . After his mother’s death and a conflict with his sister led to his eviction, he ended up homeless. While his situation was unfortunate, he believes that there are many people worse off than him and that something must change to address the housing and poverty crises in America.

Top 5 Prompts On Essays about Homelessness

For your essay, it would be interesting to write about how people become homeless in the first place. Research the different causes of homelessness and elaborate on them, and be sure to provide sources such as statistics and anecdotes. 

What solutions to homelessness can you think of? In your essay, propose at least one way you think the homelessness problem can be solved or at least reduced. It must be concrete, realistic, and defensible; be sure to explain your solution well and defend its feasibility, backing up your claims with facts and logic. 

Homelessness and mental health can be linked—research into declining mental health and how homelessness can impact a person’s mental well-being. Make sure to use research data and statistics to show your findings. Conclude whether poor mental health can cause homelessness or if homelessness causes poor mental health.

You can write about what homelessness means to you in your essay. Perhaps you’ve heard stories of homeless people, or maybe you know someone who is or has been homeless. Use this essay to highly the effects of homelessness and how we can work together as a society to eradicate it.

Many say that homeless people “choose to be homeless” and are underachievers; otherwise, they would simply “get a job” and lift themselves out of poverty. Is this true? Research this topic and decide on your stance. Then, write about whether you agree with this topic for a compelling argumentative essay.

If you’re still stuck, check out our general resource of essay writing topics .

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Introduction, competing interests, what they talk about when they talk about homelessness: discourse and knowledge culture as a barrier to integrated policy initiatives.

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 February 2022

Integrated government initiatives have become a common approach following the institutional fragmentation of New Public Management reforms. Complex societal issues require equally complex solutions, which sectorial units of government cannot attend to alone. However, integrated policy initiatives are prone to a range of obstacles. Using a study of policymaking aimed at homelessness in Norway as a case, this paper discusses how sectorial-shared knowledge creates barriers to a common view of policy problems and solutions. Engaging theories of governmental fragmentation, coordination, discourse, and epistemic cultures enable an exploration of how the involved policy sectors understand and address homelessness. The findings indicate that all policy sectors seem to recognise their responsibility within a social welfare frame, but despite having cooperated for several years, embeddedness in sectorial discourse and epistemic culture causes differing problem definitions. Established terms and categories within homelessness policies are filled with content according to epistemic embeddedness, thereby contributing to obscure the differences, rather than integrate the policy initiatives.

Today’s society is recognised by how professional knowledge is interweaved with social life (Knorr-Cetina, Reference Knorr-Cetina 1999 : 6). The knowledge society also permeates governing, and a knowledge-or evidence-based policy is a common commitment in the western world (Cartwright et al ., Reference Cartwright, Goldfinch and Howick 2010 ). Liberal influence connected governing with knowledge produced by the positive sciences, and the activities of government to facts, theories, techniques, and knowledgeable persons (Hacking, Reference Hacking 1981 ; Rose, Reference Rose 1999 ). The division of knowledgeable persons by professions and epistemic culture created sectorial divisions in governments through the twentieth century, that was further segmented by the influence of neoliberal ideas and New Public management governing tools from the 1980’s (Christensen and Lægreid, Reference Christensen and Lægreid 2004 ; Rose, Reference Rose 1999 ). Sectorial division, and the parallel recognition of the complexity of many policy issues, has since the beginning of the 1990s caused a need to cooperate and coordinate across policy sectors to achieve integrated policy initiatives (Hajer and Wagenaar, Reference Hajer and Wagenaar 2003 ). However, the combination of knowledge-based policies and the coordination of policies across sectorial units has been found to represent a challenge (Peters, Reference Peters 2018 ). Epistemological outlooks create boundaries that inhibit how knowledge translates and travels (Smith and Joyce, Reference Smith and Joyce 2012 ), caused by civil servants embeddedness in professions, but also by how measuring and evaluation of policy outcome are favoured techniques of modern governing. From a discursive perspective, the formation of policies is a competition over various understandings of socio-institutional reality (Fischer, Reference Fischer 2003 ), materialising in problem definitions reflecting these understandings (Bacchi and Goodwin, Reference Bacchi and Goodwin 2018 ; Rose, Reference Rose 1999 ). This makes studies of discourse and knowledge central within policy studies. Examples include the Fischer and Gottweis ( Reference Fischer and Gottweis 2012 ) studies addressing policymaking as part of an argumentative turn in society, focusing on communicative practices in policymaking and how competing actors construct divergent policy narratives when approaching complex issues. Another example is Schmidt’s ( Reference Schmidt 2008 ; Reference Schmidt 2017 ) discursive institutionalism that addresses the interactive processes of discourse by which actors in policymaking express ideas embedded in institutional contexts.

Homelessness is an example of a complex policy issue requiring initiatives that range across professional divisions and governmental organisations. Most countries in Europe, the US, and Australia have developed policies with the aim of reducing homelessness (see e.g. Minnery and Greenhalgh, Reference Minnery and Greenhalgh 2007 ), and ten EU member states are identified as having developed national strategies aimed at delivering ‘integrated strategic responses’ to homelessness (Baptista and Marlier, Reference Baptista and Marlier 2019 , 54). How homelessness is interpreted differently according to institutional contexts has been explored and discussed in research since the category of homelessness was constructed in the 1980s. Discursive embeddedness of those in power to define has moved explanations of homelessness back and forth within an individual-structural dichotomy perceiving homelessness to be caused by either individual lack of skills to maintain a home or a social network, or structural conditions such as low income and a general lack of opportunities (Harvey, Reference Harvey 1984 ; Schön and Rein, Reference Schön and Rein 1994 ). A plethora of studies has applied this structural-individual dichotomy in discussing how policies differ in their conceptualization and approach to homelessness across national borders (Anderson et al., Reference Anderson, Dyb and Finnerty 2016 ; Fitzpatrick and Stephens, Reference Fitzpatrick and Stephens 2013 ) or across time (Bullen, Reference Bullen 2015 ; Cronley, Reference Cronley 2010 ; Pleace and Quilgars, Reference Pleace and Quilgars 2003 ). However, as observed by Evans et al . ( Reference Evans, Collins and Anderson 2016 , 250), studies of homelessness policies have given little attention to the actual places, spaces and networks through which problematisation in governing homelessness occurs. The policy study tradition addressing how knowledge and discourse represent epistemic barriers in coordination of policies seems not to have influenced homelessness research, and homelessness as a policy issue has rarely been the case of studies addressing the role of knowledge. This study is a contribution to filling this gap, and to bridge the literature on coordination of policies, the epistemic embeddedness of experts, and the social policy issue of homelessness, using a coordinated policy initiative aimed at homelessness in Norway as a case.

As a country labelled a Scandinavian welfare state with wide social and economic safety nets (Esping-Andersen, Reference Esping-Andersen 1990 ), pursuing a leading role in welfare policies (Neumann and Haugevik, Reference Neumann and Haugevik 2020 ), it is a goal of the government that no one should experience homelessness. Homelessness policies have, since 2001, been developed in coordination between the policy sectors responsible for housing, labour and social affairs, health and care, and criminal justice Footnote 1 , the housing policy sector holding the main responsibility. The Housing for Welfare (HfW) strategy frames the policy initiatives addressing homelessness in the period 2014- 2020, and the paper is based on a study of expert civil servant practices within HfW. The four policy sectors involved are all shaped by a general discourse of governing, but they differ in how professional discourse structures their approach to social policy problems. How do they talk about homelessness? What terms and categories do they activate? What knowledge shapes their perceptions of homelessness as a policy problem and suggested solution? These research questions are explored through analyses of discourse and practice and discussed in light of theories considering the importance of problem definitions and epistemic embeddedness in achieving integrated policies. The findings indicate that all policy sectors seem to recognise their responsibility within a social welfare frame, but despite having cooperated for several years, embeddedness in sectorial discourse and epistemic culture causes diverging problem definitions, and thereby leads to diverging solutions.

The paper proceeds as follows. The first section provides theories considering the knowledge society and how experts and professions contribute to shaping discourse and epistemic cultures. This is followed by a brief overview of NPM and the following reforms, focusing on the principles they provide for orientation in policymaking. The case of study is then presented, followed by a methods section. The empirical findings are presented, and then discussed through the prism of the theoretical lenses, before the paper ends with a conclusion.

Horizontal specialization in a knowledge society

The professionalisation of government that enabled prominent positions in governing for expert figures like scientists and engineers (Haas, Reference Haas 1992 ; Rose, Reference Rose 1999 ) also linked policies with wider discourses of expert knowledge. Interpretation and definition of policy problems, commonly regarded as the first, and most important, stage of a policy circle, are thereby shaped by these wider discourses. How terms and categories are used in problem definitions is important; it provides language for communication that highlights specific issues at the expense of others, it connects a phenomenon-to theories about how a problem may be alleviated (the policy solution), locate responsibility and affect further knowledge production (Weiss, Reference Weiss 1989 ). A problem definition also includes a construction of the target population, creating new social groups through the existence of policies addressing their situation (Schneider and Ingram, Reference Schneider and Ingram 1997 ). Problem definitions become institutionalized, embedded in groups, organisations, and structures, often outlasting the initial conditions that shaped their emergence. They appear as “facts” and contexts to operate within, and they shape the language used for communication (Berman, Reference Berman 2013 ; Smith, Reference Smith 2013 ).

The concept of epistemic community (Haas, Reference Haas 1992 ) captures how groups of professional civil servants share an epistemic embeddedness, shaping their understandings of a policy issue. Epistemic community is defined as “a network of professionals with recognised expertise and competence in a particular domain and an authority claim to policy-relevant knowledge within that domain or issue area” (Haas, Reference Haas 1992 : 3). The professionals share a set of normative and principled beliefs providing a rationale for their social action, they share causal beliefs and notions of validity, and a set of practices associated with the problems their professional competence is directed at (Haas, Reference Haas 1992 ). The concept of epistemic culture enables explorations of a broader complexity of what constitutes knowledge (Dijk, Reference Dijk 2014 ). It is developed by studying scientists and moves beyond community by highlighting the practices of gaining knowledge that unites and divides epistemic cultures. Cultural divisions are entrenched in education, research organisations, and systems of classifications, making groups of specialists prone to cultural division by being separated from other experts by institutional boundaries (Knorr-Cetina, Reference Knorr-Cetina 1999 :2). The notion of an epistemic culture “brings into focus the content of different knowledge-oriented life-worlds, the different meanings of the empirical, specific constructions of the referent (the objects of knowledge), particular ontologies of instruments, specific models of epistemic subjects” (Knorr-Cetina, Reference Knorr-Cetina 2007 : 364).

Expert civil servants are embedded in epistemic community and culture through education, but also by how interaction between governmental agencies, policy analysts, and experts has increased with the development of a knowledge society. The civil servants turn to – or even participate in – scientific communities to resolve policy dilemmas, resulting in knowledge-based social systems surrounding institutionalized ideas where experts from both outside and inside government are included (Fischer, Reference Fischer 2003 : 33). The concepts of epistemic community and culture highlight how civil servants do knowledge-based policymaking, and what concepts unite or divide them in cooperation. Examples include what types of data are used in obtaining knowledge, what classifications are used in gathering data, and what epistemic strategies are used to validate and check the consistency of information. In the case studied here, the four involved policy sectors are in different ways connected to scientific environments providing knowledge for policymaking by recognised methods. Examples include how knowledge in the health policy sector is provided by the Norwegian Institute of Public health, responsible of “knowledge production and systematic reviews for the health sector and knowledge about the health status in the population, influencing factors and how it can be improved” Footnote 2 . The housing policy sector mainly obtains knowledge for policymaking through commissioning of research, such as the survey of homelessness performed every fourth year, or evaluation of policy initiatives.

Governmental reforms and knowledge tools

The governmental reforms commonly referred to as New Public Management (NPM) were inspired by neo-liberal ideas of governing and developed in most European bureaucracies in the 80s (Rose, Reference Rose 1999 ). NPM reforms were introduced to enhance efficiency in service delivery by emphasising management within individual organisations and top-down control, values originating in private sector principles of professional management: explicit standards, managing by results, and value for money (Kjær, Reference Kjær 2004 ). Performance measurement is the most common tool (Boswell, Reference Boswell 2018 : 1): other examples are national guidelines, standardization (Danielsen et al ., Reference Danielsen, Klausen and Stokstad 2019 ), and evidence-based methods (Cartwright et al ., Reference Cartwright, Goldfinch and Howick 2010 ).

The central element of the NPM-tools is that they involve quantification. Knowledge in numbers entails a range of advantages in governing, and at the same time the use of numbers displays an effort to incorporate scientific evidence into policy decisions. Quantitative measures turn the qualitative, social world into information and enable control, evaluation and comparison of complex social phenomenon. Numerical pictures create clarity, making complex phenomena comprehensible through simplification and classification. Quantification thereby offers a shared language that transcends other forms of differences, accommodating for coordination of activity across cultural (Espeland and Stevens, Reference Espeland and Stevens 2008 : 402), social, geographical or political distances (Porter, Reference Porter 1996 ). However, there are also significant pitfalls involved in quantification of social phenomena. Numbers do not merely inscribe a pre-existing reality, but rather constitute it. Numbers are linked to specific problematisations: if to problematize a social phenomenon-within governing requires it to be counted, then what is counted is what is problematized (Rose, Reference Rose 1999 ). Classification of social phenomena transforms all differences into quantity, and thereby reduces the complexity of a social phenomenon-but the reduction mirrors the interpretations of those who make the reduction and the statistical categories again remake what it measures (Espeland and Stevens, Reference Espeland and Stevens 2008 ).

The implementation of ideas and tools associated with NPM have caused a tendency for governments to de-emphasise horizontal management (Peters, Reference Peters 2018 ). As a response, several coordination models have developed to accommodate for policy integration. Policies aimed at homelessness in Norway provide an example of a coordinated initiative in post-NPM reforms attempting to attend to numerous and sometimes conflicting ideas, considerations, demands, structures, and cultural elements at the same time (Christensen and Lægreid, Reference Christensen and Lægreid 2011 ). Tosun and Lang ( Reference Tosun and Lang 2017 ) distinguish between governance centred approaches focusing on policy processes and implementation, and government-centred approaches focusing on coordination and the institutional and organisational dimensions. The case of study here resembles a government-centred approach, and a whole of government (WOG) model (Tosun and Lang, Reference Tosun and Lang 2017 ), described as ‘public service agencies working across portfolio boundaries to achieve a shared goal and an integrated government response to particular issues’ (Kickbusch, Reference Kickbusch 2010 : 12). WOG models depend on information sharing and knowledge management, and comprise the developments of inter-departments and inter-administration coordination. Commonly applied tools are inter-ministerial or inter-agency collaborative units in combination with measuring of performance (Tosun and Lang, Reference Tosun and Lang 2017 ). However, several studies of coordinated government initiatives have found that the tools securing top-down control continue to play a central role in governance despite post-NPM reforms. The use of targets, and measures of to what degree these targets are reached, is a way of signalling order and control (Boswell, Reference Boswell 2018 ), and are still perceived as important in meeting the expectations of appropriate modes of governing. Measuring of performance is especially valued when dealing with complex issues, despite how studies have shown measuring of results according to sectorial divisions negatively affects the coordination of policies by causing collective goals to be ignored (Øverbye, Reference Øverbye 2013 ). How this also applies in the Norwegian case will be illuminated in the empirical section.

A coordinated effort to fight homelessness

Homelessness in Norway is defined as

[…] a person who does not own or rent a home, and is left with coincidental or temporary housing arrangements, who temporarily stay with close relatives, friends, or acquaintances, or is under the care of the correctional services or an institution, due for release within two months and without a home. People without arranged accommodation for the next night are also considered homeless (Housing for Welfare, 2014 : 31) .

This definition was made for the first survey of homelessness in 1996 (Ulfrstad, Reference Ulfrstad 1997 ). The same survey has been performed every four years since 1996: the respondents are municipal employees, typically social workers, providing knowledge about persons they know to experience homelessness according to the definition. The survey categorises the data according to length of experienced homelessness, type of temporary accommodation, education and source of income. The respondents are asked to provide information about why homelessness has occurred, here the categories span from “has been evicted”, “loss of income” and “released from jail” to “the person has a mental illness” and “the person is addicted to drugs”. The survey of homelessness is important by how it provides language structuring practices of policy making, and the categories also illustrate how homelessness is recognized as a complex policy issue. The HfW-strategy recognizes this complexity, a central objective is to “gather and target the public effort with the aim of securing safe housing for all” (Oslo Economics, 2020 : 4). From 2018, initiatives securing adequate housing for persons with dual diagnosis were given priority (Initiative plan HfW, 2018–2020). Despite these efforts, the last survey of homelessness counted 3, 325 homeless persons (Dyb and Zeiner, Reference Dyb and Zeiner 2021 ).

The study is based on data material obtained by qualitative methods. Throughout 2019, I observed meetings, performed interviews, and collected text material in arenas where policymaking addressing homelessness was discussed. Table  1 shows the policy sectors involved in the initiative and their object of policy. In the presentation of methods, empirical material, and discussion, the abbreviations from this table will be used.

TABLE 1. Policy sectors involved and object of policy

The talk material consists of:

Semi-structured group interviews within three policy sectors (HC, LSA, and CJ) at the sub-ministry level, performed in the informant’s workplace, lasting approximately 90 minutes. The interviews were recorded and transcribed.

Observations in 11 meetings discussing current and future policy programs aimed at homelessness, each lasting 1.5–2 hours. Five meetings had the attendance of civil servants representing the housing policy sector at the sub-ministry level. Six additional meetings included civil servants from HC, LSA, and CJ. In one of these six meetings, civil servants at the ministry level attended in addition to those representing the sub-ministry level. Six meetings were recorded on tape and later transcribed, and five were recorded in writing. I always introduced myself at the beginning of meetings, but the data material was obtained by passive observation, I did not participate in the interaction.

All participants gave their consent to participate in the study. The Norwegian Centre for Research Data granted ethical permissions for this study.

Twenty-seven civil servants are represented in the talk material. Of these 27, there are 12 civil servants who are recurring in different data sources, as they represent the most central agents in their policy sectors’ approach to homelessness. Table  2 shows numbers of participants by sector and units.

TABLE 2. Numbers of participants by sector and units

In the arenas where interactions were observed, the informants also very generously shared written material produced before or following the meeting. In addition, policy strategies, allocation letters, web pages, and research reports were part of the data material.

The analyses of data were performed by approaching distinct dimensions in talk and text: argumentative, evaluative, and dramatizing statements about what causes homelessness and how it may be resolved, and what terms and categories reoccur in discourse. The data material was sorted manually according to these dimensions, starting with the talk material and followed by an exploration of the surrounding text material. After establishing central dimensions in talk that seemed to structure discourse, epistemic strategies and empirical procedures were identified. Both processes of analysis were implemented within and across policy sectors. The analytical approach was inspired by the sociology of knowledge approach to discourse (SKAD) (Keller, Reference Keller 2011 ; Keller et al., Reference Keller, Hornidge and Schünemann 2018 ) and Knorr Cetina’s ( Reference Knorr-Cetina 1999 , Reference Knorr-Cetina 2007 ) approach to epistemic culture.

As the aim of the analyses is to identify discourse, the systems of meaning production structuring the practice (Dunn and Neumann, Reference Dunn and Neumann 2016 ) of the expert civil servants, the inclusion of published textual sources in the material for analyses was important. Governmental textual sources represent a materiality aspect of discourse, important in conveying the discourse of a policy sector. Quotes and excerpts from both talk and text are used in the empirical section as examples of what is interpreted as the general discourse or epistemic culture. Textual sources also provide possibilities to adjust for potential bias caused by an imbalance in the talk material, or my own embeddedness in discourse. Data obtained by observation in meeting entail a risk of capturing the practices of the most talkative civil servants and missing out on the quiet ones. My own situatedness (Neumann and Neumann, Reference Neumann and Neumann 2018 ) is influenced by former experiences of being a participant in policymaking at ministerial and sub-ministerial levels, as well as an employee in a shelter attending to the needs of persons experiencing long-term homelessness. These experiences make me more familiar with some elements of the discourse than others, and I have attempted awareness to this potential bias all through the process of data collection and analyses.

Empirical section: Four ways to talk about homelessness

As shown in Table  1 , the policy sectors cooperating in policymaking target different objects of policy. Their objects and aims connect them to epistemic communities and cultures, where categories and vocabulary are institutionalized and taken for granted. I now present the empirical material and display how the policy sectors talk and write about homelessness, focusing on what emerge from the analyses as the most relevant issues to address. In the following discussion these variations will be addressed.

The section is divided into four subsections according to policy sector. To clearly illustrate how epistemic embeddedness shape interpretations differently I have included how the policy sector perceives Housing First (HF) at the end of each section. Housing First is a so-called standardized model of providing housing and services based on the argument that RCT studies have proven it to be an effective model (Tsemberis, Reference Tsemberis 2013 ).

Housing as a basic need and welfare pillar

When talking about persons lacking a home within H, homelessness is the term employed as a category and target group, used according to the definition referred page 7. The occurrence of homelessness is mainly described by reference to the most recent survey of homelessness (Dyb and Lid, Reference Dyb and Lid 2017 ), and the categories correspond to those used in the survey. Below is an example from talk:

“We had a dramatic decline in 2016, no other country has had a similar development. We have a larger share staying in institutions, and it was not changed (with reference to the survey of 2012). We do not see the same decline in the share of persons staying in temporary housing; it increased slightly. The share sleeping rough has also increased, and we still have many staying with friends and acquaintances” .

The example illustrates a general feature of how all descriptions and discussions of homelessness were structured. The categories developed with the aim of counting homeless persons in the regular survey provide vocabulary and knowledge to talk about homelessness. The survey, and its system for measuring, is described by the civil servants as crucial in their development of policies. The possibility of measuring also affects who is considered the most potential target group for policies. In an intern H-meeting, one of the senior advisers argued that “It’s those who stay in temporary housing who should be the target group; this is the group possible to measure. That is difficult considering those who stay with family and friends”.

References to how other countries approached homelessness, and their population of homeless, were frequent, especially considering their access to statistics for measuring. This was explored and discussed using the same categories as those applied in the Norwegian context, here illustrated by an example from a presentation in a meeting:

“Norway has a greater proportion of long term homeless than Sweden and Denmark. Norway had many young people experiencing homelessness, but the numbers decreased from 2013-2016. Finland has managed to decrease the number of persons sleeping rough, in Norway we have seen an increase” .

The civil servants also refer to knowledge obtained in international conferences and by participation in international networks, considering housing models, but also alternative methods of measuring. The European typology of homelessness and housing exclusion (ETHOS) is a reoccurring reference in text and talk, a typology launched in 2005 “as a means of improving understanding and measurement of homelessness in Europe, and to provide a common language for transnational exchanges on homelessness Footnote 3 .” A model imported from the international context is Housing First (HF), and attention to this model is significant. Examples include how the Housing Bank has developed a manual for the use of HF in Norway and how senior advisers engage in international HF Networks. The quote underneath, from the introduction to the manual, shows how the housing sector emphasises the right to housing as a fundamental principle of Housing First Footnote 4 :

Housing First turns around the idea that homeless people must “deserve” their own home, or must show that they are “ready for” or even “worthy” of a home by first going through treatment to, among other things, become drug-free. Housing First works according to the principle of housing as a basic need that must be met before one can embark on more complex processes such as rehabilitation and treatment .

Simultaneousness in services

In LSA, ‘homeless’ is not used as a category in talk or text – the non-use of this category was even emphasised several times in talk. A broad conception of the target group as “service recipients” dominates talk and text, and some of these persons need services to secure their housing situation. However, this is recognised as a challenging task, as described by a civil servant: “The complexity in the situation of service recipients experiencing homelessness might also be the greatest challenge for the services and the way we govern services in Norway. The service providers struggle to position themself in relation to some of these persons”. Norwegian Social Services Act ( 2009 ) was a frequently used source of reference in LSA. After the group interview, a senior adviser forwarded me the objects clause of this juridical framework to illustrate this complexity in the policy objectives of LSA. “The purpose of the law is to improve the living conditions of the disadvantaged, contribute to social and economic security, including giving the individual the opportunity to live and work independently, and promote the transition to work, social inclusion and active participation in society” (Norwegian Social Services Act, 2009 ). It was not clear which one of the components should be addressed first in order to support the service recipient, as illustrated in this discussion among three participants in the interview:

A: “Work and securing income are the most important social housing instruments”

B: “Housing is also important. If you try to include someone in work and activity, and the housing conditions are not well, or they lack housing, it is a challenge to make it work” .

C: “Conversely, we often see that work and activity stabilize the situation. This makes parallel processes important” .

Statistics and standardized models were other main references. The informants were reluctant to comment on issues when they lacked a foundation in statistical sources or evaluations of implemented models. LSA gather statistical data according to the categories of service provision: care services , municipal housing and temporary housing , and social assistance . Temporary housing is a service providing roofs over the heads of rough sleepers, and it also represents a situation of homelessness according to the definition. Statistics provide aggregated numbers of how many stays in temporary housing a municipality supplies within a period. Knowledge obtained from standardized models, implemented and evaluated in Norway or in other contexts, was referred to in talk as well as text when addressing how to ensure simultaneousness and totality in service delivery. Housing First is a reoccurring reference also in LSA, praised in both talk and text by how using the model accommodates for knowledge transfer and learning from international research results. Model fidelity, enabling randomised control studies and measuring of results, are described as very important for knowledge development considering what works in the pursuit to remedy homelessness.

Care for gradual development

The term person or patient is used when addressing the problem of homelessness in HC, reflecting an emphasis on individual needs. A statement from a senior adviser representing HC in a cross sectorial meeting illustrates this: “It’s not the lack of housing units that is the problem; it’s rather the lack of suitable housing, where the services are adjusted to the need of the person living there. If the services are wrong, the housing unit may turn out wrong as well”. The focus on individual needs is also reflected in guidelines, such as the web-based National Knowledge-Based Professional Guidelines (2017), where it is described how: “Some patients have, for different reasons, difficulties in securing or establishing a stable and permanent housing situation, and many lack the competence and knowledge in turning it into a home. Not everyone is in a position where separate housing is the best alternative”. The guideline is repeatedly referred to in talk, and represents the national health authority’s perception of what can be categorized as adequate professional praxis and interpretations of the legal framework, developed to reduce unwanted variation and promote good quality in health and care services.

The term daily living skills is used in talk to capture the lack of competence and knowledge described in the guideline, but the term skills also points to the possibilities of development. Below is a quote from a senior adviser at the sub-ministry level describing how to approach a person who has an experience of long-term homelessness:

“You must ask what this person’s need is right now. And what needs will he or she have in the future? You will find that several do need assistance; they are unstable. It is important that we ask ourselves, how may we assist this person in the best possible way? Some will need assistance part of the time or need a transfer period to enhance daily living skills and adjust to individual living. If you accommodate the services to the user, then the daily living skills increase considerably. You know, to live independently is actually quite advanced” .

Other sources that appear as important in providing knowledge are the tool Users Plan Footnote 5 and evaluations of standardized models. Users Plan is a tool mapping each service recipient’s situation according to housing, economy, social network, and more, in addition to services received. The tool categorizes housing as a service, separating “housing service with personnel” and “housing service without personnel”. Knowledge from this tool is aggregated, and shapes the discourse within HC. Knowledge developed from evaluation of standardized models is perceived as leading to so-called evidence-based practice. Housing First is an example of a standardized model, encouraged by HC, supported by available grants for municipalities. In talk, Housing First is described as a tool to secure the individual approach. Below is a quote from the interview:

“Housing first is an approach to increase individuals’ daily living skills, period. One may comment on the ideology that one should live in scattered housing, but that is not the important thing. The most important thing is that you approach each individual and ask, how may your daily living skills increase? On your premises? How can you become the boss in your own project?”

Motivation for social inclusion

The person or inmate is the term categorising the person addressed by policies within CJ. In talk and text, the experience of homelessness is connected to criminal activity, specifically the use of drugs, described by one of the informants as: “This is the elephant in the room, the issue that is not discussed: homelessness is connected to criminal activity. If you do not end the criminal activity and use of drugs, it’s not sure that it’s easy to live in a regular housing unit”. Involvement in the black economy is one of several factors associated with criminal activity that is emphasised in talk and text. When a person performs most economic transactions within a black economy, economic planning is difficult, something which is needed to finance a stable housing situation. The required long-term planning associated with the white economy reduces the motivation to move from the black to the white economy. How the lack of motivation affects the process of securing a housing situation was clearly expressed in the interview: “What do we do with those who are not motivated? It is hard to contribute to establishing housing for someone who does not want it; they do not feel like it”.

Social connectedness was also emphasised as an element affecting the possibilities of exiting homelessness, by how housing enables the risk of loneliness inside the unit and conflicts with neighbours outside. This risk was described as a contribution to anxiety and reduced motivation to obtain housing. Based on this notion, the expert civil servants in CJ emphasise the need for a transfer period between imprisonment and freedom. Daily living skills is a central component, here exemplified in an excerpt from the conversation between two informants in the interview:

A: “Earlier we said housing, but we need a more staircase-like model. It is easier to move on from transfer housing. It is a feeling of distaste connected to entering a relationship of rental housing; it is smart to create a transfer situation” .

B: “And we do lack a system to test daily living skills, a system where there is a mid-way station, where you can stay for three months. During this time, you have to decide how to live and reside, and after the three months, we will find a suitable place” .

The ongoing National Strategy for Reduced Recidivism to Crime (National Strategy, 2017 –2021) addresses the concept of a slip zone , referring to how the responsibility of securing the rights of citizens slips between governing units. This notion of a slip zone is also prominent in talk: it is described as causing a challenge in securing suitable services to inmates ready for release. Housing is listed as an essential component in securing an adequate living situation. A central source of data providing knowledge about the situation of the convicts is the Needs and resource mapping in the penal care (BRIK). An inmate’s former and future housing situation is mapped, and it is made known whether there is a need to initiate measures to keep a housing unit during a prison stay or obtain one during the sentence. BRIK is also referred to as a knowledge source, providing information about what elements the correctional services must address. Motivational interview (MI) is highlighted by the civil servants as an important method to achieve a successful release. In the web page describing the activities of the CJ-sector the recommendation of MI is made with a reference to summaries of research findings: “More than 200 RCT studies and several meta-analyses have shown that this method works” (Farbring, Reference Farbring 2010 ). However, the Housing First model, central in the three other policy sectors, is not mentioned in either talk or text.

The empirical section shows how the interpretations of experiences of homelessness differ between the policy sectors shaped by a wider epistemic community. They relate to diverging sources of empirical material in their arguments, obtained by different methods. In H, ‘homelessness’ is the central node of discourse, further structured by the knowledge obtained through the survey, in addition to international sources applying similar evaluating methods. LSA secures that services are provided to the citizen according to law. How they approach the problem of persons experiencing homelessness is structured by juridical framework, in addition to an idea of complexity approach and standardized models supported by knowledge obtained by RCT studies. The discourse in HC differs from both H and LSA, by being dominated by an emphasis on individual adjustment of health and care services. HC’s problem definition is centred around the health situation of persons experiencing homelessness, where gradual recovery is perceived as the solution, combined with a need to let the persons experiencing the situation define their needs. In addition to valuing the knowledge of each patient, HC refers to professional guidelines reflecting national and international research within the health and care discourse, and RCT studies that address the effect of services are part of this knowledge base. CJ emphasises the cultural embeddedness of those who experience homelessness, structuring explanations of homelessness as lack of motivation to confirm to mainstream culture. CJ mainly relies on data gathered within their own system and their experiences working with transfers from imprisonment to freedom. Both sources reflect the categories within their discourse.

However, some elements of epistemic culture also enable policy integration. Measuring by numbers is a favoured technique of NPM (Rose et al., Reference Rose, Barry and Osborne 2013 ), turning complex social phenomena into numerical pictures makes them comprehensible, and accommodates for cooperation across cultural distances by providing a common language (Espeland and Stevens, Reference Espeland and Stevens 1998 , Reference Espeland and Stevens 2008 ). There are several examples of this in the empirical material. The survey of homelessness that structures the discourse of the housing sector categorise according to issues such as mental illness and drug abuse, and thereby represents a bridge to the H- and CJ-policy sector. The number of persons staying in “temporary housing” is also measured in the survey, and the same term is applied in the legal framework structuring the discourse of LSH.

However, as described in the theoretical section, quantification of social phenomena is also prone to significant pitfalls. Quantification involves a transformation of all differences into quantity by reducing the complexity of social phenomena, and what is counted reflects the problem definitions of those making the reduction (Espeland and Stevens, Reference Espeland and Stevens 2008 ). This means that what seem like objective categories, accommodating for cooperation across epistemic communities, obscure how discourse fills the terms differently with content. The empirical material shows examples of how even simple terms and categories contain different meaning, and how models used for standardization are understood differently. The term housing is an interesting, and in this case very relevant, example. In the housing policy sector, housing seems to mean separate housing units, regulated by juridical housing contracts, and it is seen as the most important element in a person’s life. LSA seems to partly share this idea, but at the same time housing is seen to be equated with work and activity. Within HC, the category of housing seems to be part of a broader category of services that are provided to the individual according to needs. Within CJ, housing is part of the white economy and a normal lifestyle that the inmate is not always motivated to obtain. This means that when these policy sectors agree on the importance of housing, the word contains different meanings according to discursive embeddedness. The differences in the use of housing also illustrate that even if the idea of the responsibility of the welfare state is similar, the attention to the individual citizen agency varies. The use of “daily living skills” provides a concrete example. HC and CJ activate this term when evaluating the problem of those experiencing homelessness, pointing to the individual competence in managing daily life as expected by the mainstream surroundings. HC and CJ also suggest a “staircase model” of housing as a solution, providing the individual with the opportunity to enhance daily living skills gradually with support. These terms are not used in H and LSA discourse; immediate settlement in permanent housing units is perceived as the appropriate solution, supported by the needed services. The policy sectors’ approaches to Housing First reflect these diverging discourses considering the role of housing, services, and the individual. As shown in the empirical section, H emphasises how the model ensures that a permanent housing situation is secured “first”. LSA understands Housing First as a way to secure simultaneous services, and HC sees it as a model that secures the individual’s need for appropriate care. In CJ, Housing First is not a theme either in talk or text.

Whether these discursive differences at the national level cause consequences influencing the lives of homeless persons are not studied in this project. However, regardless of how Housing First is communicated as a standardized model, evaluations of HF-projects in Norway find substantial variance in what each of the projects are offering to the homeless population (Skog Hansen, Reference Skog Hansen 2017 ; Snertingdal, Reference Snertingdal 2014 ). The differences relate to how the projects are developed within the municipal units responsible for either health care or social housing (Skog Hansen, Reference Skog Hansen 2017 ), indicating that the diversity in discourse at the national level is reflected at the local level, and causes consequences experienced by citizens.

This study provides insight in how knowledge and discourse shape interpretations of a social problem, and how this represents a barrier in an integrated policy initiative to end homelessness in Norway. There is no simple structural-individual divide, as often identified in homelessness policy research (e.g. Anderson et al., Reference Anderson, Dyb and Finnerty 2016 ; Pleace, Reference Pleace 2000 ), but rather differences in discursive structuring of the phenomena in question, leading to various problematisations and thereby also solutions. As found in other studies (Espeland and Stevens, Reference Espeland and Stevens 1998 ; Øverbye, Reference Øverbye 2013 ), the clarity and precision brought about by management tools securing top-down control also secures knowledge development within sectorial discourse, inhibiting a common perception across sectorial borders. In the case of study, several central categories and standardized tools are employed across the sectorial boundaries, but even in these issues epistemic embeddedness causes different interpretations, as even the term housing seems to contain dissimilar meanings. In this study, I have not encountered discussions of content or interpretations of categories in the empirical material; the differences appear as silent epistemic barriers, shaping what knowledge further fuels the discourse. The use of these terms thereby contributes to obscure the differences, rather than integrate the policy initiatives. The findings of this study underline the importance of studying discourse in knowledge societies; it is through terms and categories applied in practice that knowledge is constructed and obtained.

The implications of these findings are of relevance in integrated policy initiatives addressing homelessness, and there are identified ten such initiatives within the EU (Baptista and Marlier, Reference Baptista and Marlier 2019 ), but also considering coordination of policies in general. Quantitative categories and standardized models are deliberately used to accommodate for cooperation across policy sector, but if they contain different meaning, the goal of integrated approaches is not obtained.

The author declares none

1 Described in Table 1, page x

2 Vision of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health - NIPH (fhi.no)

3 https://www.feantsa.org/en/toolkit/2005/04/01/ethos-typology-on-homelessness-and-housing-exclusion

4 https://www.napha.no/_metodebok_housing_first/

5 http://www.brukerplan.no/BrukerPlanBrukermanual%202020.pdf

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• Volume 52, Issue 4
• MAJA FLÅTO (a1)
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0047279421001057

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5 Essays About Homelessness

Around the world, people experience homelessness. According to a 2005 survey by the United Nations, 1.6 billion people lack adequate housing. The causes vary depending on the place and person. Common reasons include a lack of affordable housing, poverty, a lack of mental health services, and more. Homelessness is rooted in systemic failures that fail to protect those who are most vulnerable. Here are five essays that shine a light on the issue of homelessness:

What Would ‘Housing as a Human Right’ Look Like in California? (2020) – Molly Solomon

For some time, activists and organizations have proclaimed that housing is a human right. This essay explores what that means and that it isn’t a new idea. Housing as a human right was part of federal policy following the Great Depression. In a 1944 speech introducing what he called the “Second Bill of Rights,” President Roosevelt attempted to address poverty and income equality. The right to have a “decent home” was included in his proposals. Article 25 of the Universal Declaration also recognizes housing as a human right. It describes the right to an “adequate standard of living.” Other countries such as France and Scotland include the right to housing in their constitutions. In the US, small local governments have adopted resolutions on housing. How would it work in California?

At KQED, Molly Solomon covers housing affordability. Her stories have aired on NPR’s All Things Considered, Morning Edition, and other places. She’s won three national Edward R. Murrow awards.

“What People Get Wrong When They Try To End Homelessness” – James Abro

In his essay, James Abro explains what led up to six weeks of homelessness and his experiences helping people through social services. Following the death of his mother and eviction, Abro found himself unhoused. He describes himself as “fortunate” and feeling motivated to teach people how social services worked. However, he learned that his experience was somewhat unique. The system is complicated and those involved don’t understand homelessness. Abro believes investing in affordable housing is critical to truly ending homelessness.

James Abro is the founder of Advocate for Economic Fairness and 32 Beach Productions. He works as an advocate for homeless rights locally and nationally. Besides TalkPoverty, he contributes to Rebelle Society and is an active member of the New Jersey Coalition to End Homelessness.

“No Shelter For Some: Street-Sleepers” (2019)

This piece (by an unknown author) introduces the reader to homelessness in urban China. In the past decades, a person wouldn’t see many homeless people. This was because of strict rules on internal migration and government-supplied housing. Now, the rules have changed. People from rural areas can travel more and most urban housing is privatized. People who are homeless – known as “street-sleepers” are more visible. This essay is a good summary of the system (which includes a shift from police management of homelessness to the Ministry of Civil Affairs) and how street-sleepers are treated.

“A Window Onto An American Nightmare” (2020) – Nathan Heller

This essay from the New Yorker focuses on San Francisco’s history with homelessness, the issue’s complexities, and various efforts to address it. It also touches on how the pandemic has affected homelessness. One of the most intriguing parts of this essay is Heller’s description of becoming homeless. He says people “slide” into it, as opposed to plunging. As an example, someone could be staying with friends while looking for a job, but then the friends decide to stop helping. Maybe someone is jumping in and out of Airbnbs, looking for an apartment. Heller’s point is that the line between only needing a place to stay for a night or two and true “homelessness” is very thin.

Nathan Heller joined the New Yorker’s writing staff in 2013. He writes about technology, higher education, the Bay Area, socioeconomics, and more. He’s also a contributing editor at Vogue, a former columnist for Slate, and contributor to other publications.

“Homelessness in Ireland is at crisis point, and the vitriol shown towards homeless people is just as shocking” (2020)#- Megan Nolan

In Ireland, the housing crisis has been a big issue for years. Recently, it’s come to a head in part due to a few high-profile incidents, such as the death of a young woman in emergency accommodation. The number of children experiencing homelessness (around 4,000) has also shone a light on the severity of the issue. In this essay, Megan Nolan explores homelessness in Ireland as well as the contempt that society has for those who are unhoused.

Megan Nolan writes a column for the New Statesman. She also writes essays, criticism, and fiction. She’s from Ireland but based in London.

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About the author, emmaline soken-huberty.

Emmaline Soken-Huberty is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon. She started to become interested in human rights while attending college, eventually getting a concentration in human rights and humanitarianism. LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights, and climate change are of special concern to her. In her spare time, she can be found reading or enjoying Oregon’s natural beauty with her husband and dog.

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I Study Homelessness. I Wish More Places Looked Like This Shelter.

By Matthew Desmond

Produced by Jillian Weinberger

In this audio essay, the sociologist Matthew Desmond interviews a resident of the Water Street Mission shelter in Lancaster, Pa., about what makes it so unique. “Here’s a place that is treating people in their full humanity,” Mr. Desmond says. “It’s looking past their hardships, past their addictions, past their homelessness to see people’s promise, to see people’s beauty. And wouldn’t it be amazing if that was the norm instead of the exception.”

Below is a lightly edited transcript of the interview. To listen to this piece, select the play button below.

Matthew Desmond: My name is Matthew Desmond. I’m a writer and a sociologist at Princeton University.

I research and report on poverty in America. That work has taken me to a number of homeless shelters across the United States. Shelters housed in decommissioned military bases, old hotels, church basements, you name it.

Homeless shelters are a vital part of the safety net. But they have a mixed reputation, I think it’s fair to say. Some are thought to be too strict, others too lenient. I wanted to hear from shelter residents themselves. So last year I visited Water Street Mission in Lancaster, Pa.

Water Street Mission is housed in an old cotton mill. It’s this kind of giant brick complex. There are places to sleep. But they also have family rooms. They have kids’ play spaces. And importantly, there’s a medical wing where people can receive medical care, psychological care and even dental care during their stay at Water Street.

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Home — Essay Samples — Social Issues — Homelessness — Argumentative Essay On The Homeless

Argumentative Essay on The Homeless

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On How to Eradicate Homelessness Essay (Speech)

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Introduction

Causes of homelessness, homelessness associated with hunger, how to eradicate homelessness, works cited.

The ugly state of homelessness is present and clearly visible in every street in most parts of the United States. It is devastating to see the homeless people trying to survive the hard life surviving the harsh weather conditions. Many people who have never had a firsthand experience would assume that only the alcoholics, drug addicts and the poor are the homeless. This is unlike what is reality. Anyone can be homeless despite a person’s class, level of education and sanity. Homelessness is a national catastrophe that should be well addressed to help in eradicating in society.

Many times homelessness has been misinterpreted to be an experience that happens to wicked and evil people. The notion that society has adopted is that homelessness happens to people who have no vision and dreams in life. The truth of the matter is that majority of the homeless are people with dreams, ambitions and desire to succeed. The barriers are the constraints that surround them making it impossible for them to rise up go beyond their limits. Society has played a big role in neglecting and despising the homeless. Society fails to understand that the homeless need care, support, and nurturing.

Understanding homelessness is very important when working to eradicate it in our society. This enables a person who has not been in this situation to understand how it feels to lack a place to call home. The general understanding is that homelessness is brought by negligence and through events that could have been prevented (Urban Institute). This is not true as there are people who have jobs, are educated, and with stable families but still are homeless. Hence, the biggest reason to understand homelessness and the best way possible to eradicate if not minimize the rate it’s in the country.

There are many causes of homelessness. According to the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, paucity has been the key issue that has rendered many families to the street. There are many families that have succumbed to life on the street due to lack. With the shortage of job opportunities and resources, many families cannot afford housing facilities (Maide). Domestic violence has been a factor that leads to homelessness. The violence that erupts in a home can result in the destruction of properties and separations. There are many broken families who are on the run with no place to call home. Eviction from homes to pave way for the construction of other facilities has been a factor that has contributed to homelessness. Often, families have been evicted from houses without a proper settlement plan. These families are left stranded with nowhere to go.

Teenage homelessness is widespread. Young girls run from their homes the minute they realize they are pregnant. They lack a place to live and they resolve to live on the street. Teenagers are also at risk of being homeless when they fall victim to vices like drug addictions and immorality. They tend to move out of their homestead to live in the street where they could easily access their hobbies. The other major factors that have contributed to homeliness are family disputes, expenses incurred in a divorce procedure, and the death of a loved one (Brendan).

Another aspect that has contributed to homelessness is the natural disaster. These disasters are beyond humanity and cannot be prevented yet they have rendered many homeless. The devastating hurricane Katrina is a good example where many families were left with no place to call home. The destruction of housing was rampant. The sight of young children, mothers and elderly people with no shelter was heartbreaking. These natural calamities cannot be prevented, unlike the other factors that lead to homelessness (Sommer).

Homelessness is closely associated with hunger, crime, child mortality and death (Bredan). When people are living in the street it is very hard for them to acquire other basic needs such as food and clothing. Young mothers on the street cannot be able to shield their young children from the harsh weather conditions. As a result, child mortality is at a high rate for the homeless. Diseases are easily spread among the homeless people in the street. Some become sick due to the unfavorable weather conditions cause deaths to the individuals in the street. A homeless person in the street has the highest chance of getting involved in an accident more than a person safely tacked in the house. Crime is rampant as the homeless opt to do anything to survive.

There is a need for society, government, and well-wishers to team up to help stamp out homelessness in the United States. This can be achieved by the provision of shelter homes for those hit by natural disasters like hurricanes, tornados and floods. The poor people in society should be given an opportunity to own a home (Burt, Carpenter and Hall). This can be attained by the provision of cheap houses that they can afford. It is very hard to get a house that is not expensive that suits an average person. The government should help in the construction of cheap but comfortable homes and place a fee that the poor in society can afford.

The lack of education which plays a bigger role in homelessness should be well tackled. More should be done to end ignorance on youths and adults by working with the cooperation that helps to end poverty. Such organizations include the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty. This one educates and provides homes for the poor in society. Another organization is the National Alliance to End Homelessness. This organization works hand in hand with other Nongovernmental organizations to eliminate homelessness in the country.

It is evident that some churches are working very hard to eradicate homelessness. These churches include the Salvation Army and Catholics. The churches help in building shelters for the homeless while providing them with basic needs. The churches although working all round the clock cannot be able to manage the overwhelming number of the homeless in society. There is a need therefore for every individual to work together and give aid to this organization (Bredan). It is wise to give the organization any aid possible than offering money to a homeless person who in turn uses the money to buy drugs.

In conclusion, homelessness is a national disaster that should be tackled quickly possible before it goes out of hand. It is wiser to understand that homelessness is not reserved for a particular group of people. Anyone can be homeless and therefore measures to end homelessness need to be taken care of by all people. Giving the homeless people on the street money and food are not enough. Efforts are needed to ensure that every human being has a roof on top of their head. By understanding the effects of homelessness the society would understand that what the homeless need is care, education and nurturing. A little help can go a long way to help the homeless.

Bredan, Coyne. New Report Shows Increase in Urban Hunger, Homelessness. 2005. Web.

Burt, Martha, R., Jenneth, Carpenter, and Sam Hall. Strategies for improving Homeless People’s Access to Mainstream Benefits and Services. 2010. Web.

Maide, Jeff. Top Causes of Homelessness in America. EzineArticles. 2010. Web.

Sommer, Heidi. Homelessness in Urban America: A Review of the Literature . 2001. Web.

Urban Institute . A New Look at Homelessness in America. 2000. Web.

• Homelessness in the US
• Mumbai Great Problem: Homelessness Problem in Cities
• Homelessness as a Global Social Issue
• Poverty in America: A Paradox
• Economic Crisis: Social & Psychological Impact
• War and Poverty Connection in Developing Countries
• Social Security Strategies Reform Plan
• Poverty in the World
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2022, January 4). On How to Eradicate Homelessness. https://ivypanda.com/essays/persuasive-speech-on-homelessness/

"On How to Eradicate Homelessness." IvyPanda , 4 Jan. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/persuasive-speech-on-homelessness/.

IvyPanda . (2022) 'On How to Eradicate Homelessness'. 4 January.

IvyPanda . 2022. "On How to Eradicate Homelessness." January 4, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/persuasive-speech-on-homelessness/.

1. IvyPanda . "On How to Eradicate Homelessness." January 4, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/persuasive-speech-on-homelessness/.

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IvyPanda . "On How to Eradicate Homelessness." January 4, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/persuasive-speech-on-homelessness/.

• Frontiers in Public Health
• Life-Course Epidemiology and Social Inequalities in Health
• Research Topics

Homelessness, Social Exclusion, Loneliness: increasing social and health issues.

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About this Research Topic

Homelessness is a complex and evolving phenomenon characterized by severe housing deprivation and profound social marginalization. It encompasses not only "material poverty"—the lack of a home, job, income, and other basic necessities—but also "relational poverty," referring to the absence of family relationships, friendships, and social connections. This lack of social ties leads to progressive social impoverishment and exclusion from essential healthcare systems and human rights. The consequences of homelessness are far-reaching, affecting both individuals and society. Individuals experience educational deficits, reduced life expectancy, and an increased risk of illness and injury. Society, in turn, bears significant social costs, including heightened healthcare expenses, reduced public safety resulting in increased criminal justice expenditures, and lost productivity. Despite its complexity, homelessness has attracted attention from diverse disciplines such as anthropology, sociology, pedagogy, psychology, medicine, economics, law, and architecture. National and international welfare policies have been implemented to combat poverty and promote social inclusion. However, given the global rise in homelessness, the full extent of its impact—both socially and from a healthcare perspective—remains underexplored and inadequately analyzed. In line with the framework of the UN General Assembly's 2023 report, “Inclusive policies and programmes to address homelessness,” this research topic aims to adopt a worldwide approach by recognizing and addressing the global contrasts and the convergence of issues and strategies related to homelessness. The report highlights that while knowledge and policies on homelessness are improving, substantial efforts are still needed. Homelessness is both a concrete violation of human rights and an indicator of extreme poverty and social exclusion. It exists on all continents, albeit with varying manifestations, and is frequently interconnected with a range of other social issues, including poverty, rising inequalities, lack of access to adequate housing, displacement, and gender-based violence. Preventing and addressing homelessness requires an intersectional approach that considers its multidimensional nature and necessitates holistic policies covering housing, healthcare and services, and social and legal protection. Recognizing these complexities, we aim to advance our understanding and contribute to more effective and compassionate solutions by encouraging inclusive and comprehensive perspectives. Contributions to this research topic can explore subtopics such as: • Health and Social Living Conditions: • Quantitative and qualitative research on the health and/or social living conditions of homeless individuals. • Studies on visible and invisible dynamics, various forms of exclusion, and related stigma. • Mechanisms and strategies for social inclusion. • Intersectional Approaches: • Research that examines how homelessness intersects with issues such as gender-based violence, substance misuse, and mental health. • Studies on the impact of economic factors, such as lack of decent employment, high energy and healthcare costs, and unbridled property speculation. • Holistic Policies and Interventions: • Essays on experimental projects designed and/or implemented to address multiple dimensions of the homelessness phenomenon. • Policy analyses focusing on housing, healthcare, social services, and legal protections. • Case Studies: • In-depth analyses of specific aspects of homelessness. • Evaluations of intervention strategies and their effectiveness. Types of Submissions We Welcome: • Original research articles utilizing quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods. • Reviews and syntheses of existing literature on homelessness. • Methodological papers that propose new ways to study homelessness. • Policy analyses and recommendations. • Case reports and detailed case studies. • Essays and theoretical papers exploring new conceptual frameworks. By fostering a multi-disciplinary dialogue and encouraging diverse methodological approaches, this research topic aims to understand the full scope of homelessness and contribute to the development of effective strategies for inclusion and management.

Keywords : Homelessness, Loneliness, Social Exclusion, Social Education, Health and Social Costs

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How to Write a Discursive Essay: Tips to Succeed & Examples

So, you need to accomplish your discursive essay writing. The typical questions most students ask are: How do you write it? What is discursive essay?

A discursive essay is an academic paper that involves a discussion on a particular topic. It is usually assigned to college students. You may be required to write a paper wherein you have to do one of the following:

• argue for the issue or against it;
• present your points of view on both sides;
• provide your unprejudiced opinion on that matter.

Don’t panic!

Check out the tips from  Custom-writing.org  experts below. They will assist you in discursive writing and encourage you to examine essay examples. Moreover, in this article, you’ll also learn about different types of discursive essay, and its introduction, main body, and conclusion structure.

• ❓ What Is It?
• 🏁 Main Types

Introduction

• Basic Don’Ts
• ✏️ Frequent Questions

❓ What Is a Discursive Essay?

First of all, let’s figure out what the discursive essay is.

You may think it’s similar to the argumentative essay. Yes, but there’s a difference between them in the structure and purpose of these two types of assignments:

We will take a detailed look at how to structure a discursive essay later, and now let’s find out what are the types of this assignment.

Keep reading!

🏁 Discursive Essay: Main Types

You have to think more critically and more in-depth when reviewing all viewpoints and aspects of discursive writing. Check these three main types of essay writing:

• Opinion Essay  requires the author’s opinion on an issue which is stated in the introductory paragraph. It should be clearly presented and followed by reasons and supporting examples. Also, this essay paper should contain an opposing argument that comes before the conclusion. The writer must explain to readers why the mentioned argument is considered to be unconvincing. The writer’s opinion should be restated/summarized in the conclusion.
• For and Against Essay  provides readers with a thorough debate on the topic with the help of opposing points of view. Each point should be discussed objectively and described in details. The introductory paragraph puts the issue under consideration. The main body of this essay paper should present examples, reasons, and arguments supported by justifications. The author’s own opinion with balanced reflections on the topic should be stated only in conclusion.
• Essay Suggesting Solution to a Problem  discusses problems and finds the main solutions. The introduction paragraph explicitly declares a problem and analyses its causes and consequences. The main body of the essay should offer some suggestions for a possible solution to the problem and potential state consequences or expected results. In conclusion, author’s opinion should be distinctly summarized.

📑 How to Write a Discursive Essay

Well, it’s time to talk about the structure of a discursive essay. Like most of the assignments, a discursive paper starts with an introduction and ends with a conclusion:

The first question you may ask is how to start a discursive essay introduction. Simple!

• Give your readers a hook – something that would sound interesting to them.
• Provide a short explanation of the problem. You may use quotations, as well as rhetorical questions.
• Show your readers both sides of the arguments and sum up.

You may be wondering…

Is there something I should avoid in my discursive essay introduction?

Yes. No stereotypes and generalizations, please!

The next step under formal essay writing you should take is to compose the body.

There are a few points you should remember:

• First and foremost: stay unprejudiced . Assess all of the aspects of an issue. Leave your feelings behind or for another essay type.
• Second: build your argumentation . If you have several arguments for your viewpoint—provide them in separate paragraphs. This will help you to keep your essay comprehensible and distinct. Don’t forget to submit supporting evidence.
• Third: write the body of an essay in an alternate manner. What does it mean? If your first paragraph supports the paper’s argument, then in the second paragraph you should write something in the opposite of it. Such a combination of supporting and opposite paragraphs will make your essay look apparent, and well researched. Besides, it will help you to remain neutral.
• Fourth: include topic sentences and evidence . Write a summary of the argument at the beginning of the paragraph. It will allow the reader to easier understand what the paragraph is about. Provide evidence to show that you’re not making the facts up.

Well, you’ve almost finished your writing. Now you should focus on the last section. Keep reading, and you will learn how to write a conclusion for a discursive essay.

• In the last section, you should summarize your article including the main points, specified in the body paragraphs.
• You may also logically express your opinion. Remember: it should resonate with your evidence stated in the body paragraphs.
• Don’t repeat findings, just summarize them.

Keep it short. Your conclusion length should not exceed one paragraph.

👍 Do’s and Don’ts

Do you want more discursive essay writing tips? Fine! Just check them below:

Basic Do’s of a Discursive Essay

• Write in formal, impersonal style.
• Introduce each point in a separate paragraph
• Use topic sentences for each paragraph
• Write well-developed paragraphs
• Give reasons and examples for each point
• Use sequencing
• Use linking words and phrases
• Make references to other sources and make sure that you follow proper citation style
• Identify used sources

Basic Don’Ts of a Discursive Essay

• Don’t use short forms, like I’ll, don’t, they’ve
• Don’t use informal/colloquial language, for example: old as the hills, ain’t, gonna, etc.
• Don’t use very emotional language, since it might make your discursive article look prejudiced
• Don’t use over-generalizations. Extending the features of some elements from a group more than it is reasonable will lead to generous and inaccurate conclusions.
• Don’t express your personal opinion too insistently
• Don’t refer to statistics without proper referencing (check our citation guides )
• Don’t use personal examples, leave it for a personal experience essay

Well, now you know what discursive essay means, what are its main types, and how to structure it.

Discursive Essay Topics

• Discussion of risk factors that impact human health. 
• Discuss the necessity of understanding cultural heritage to provide efficient health care.
• Analyze different opinions on withdrawing patients’ treatment.
• Examine different views on the Civil War.
• Discuss what hostile emotional states are and how they impact human life. 
• Discuss the meaning of metaphors used by Virgil in Aeneid . 
• Describe different opinions on telehealth in nursing homes.
• The ethicality of stem cell technology.
• Explore the effectiveness of motivational interviewing. 
• Discuss how people present themselves online .
• Discuss the reasons for Coca-Cola’s marketing success.
• Analyze the food safety issues and the ways to improve the situation.
• Examine the essential meaning of sleep for people’s physical and mental health.
• Explore various complications of working with groups.
• Discussion of the modern issues with virtue ethics. 
• Describe different views on the definition of love. 
• Give the for and against arguments considering food security technologies.  
• Discuss how the concept of the American dream is presented in the film The Great Gatsby.
• Analyze the influence of family problems on children and suggest ways to improve the situation.
• Present the various points of view on the ethical concepts of Buddhism.
• Examine the attitudes towards the problem of homelessness and the suggested ways of its solution.
• Explore different opinions on the American revolution and its consequences.
• Discuss various policies and views around the globe on abortion. 
• Discussion of the history of food foraging in different communities.
• Multiple thoughts on civility on the Internet .
• Analyze arguments on the effectiveness of hand sanitizers.
• Discuss the importance of visual aids in learning.
• Present and evaluate the theories of international development .
• Discuss how to prevent the spread of the West Nile Virus (WNV).
• Is embracing renewable energy sources beneficial for both environment and the global economy?
• Examine the correctness of the statement that the ideology of pleasure is the foundation of social activism.
• Discussion of the ethical dilemma of population control.
• Discuss the ethics of experimental studies .
• Analyze the topic of gun violence and gun control laws.
• Explore the reasons for opioid crises in the US.
• Give arguments for and against random drug testing.
• Discuss the problem of endangered species .
• Express your opinion on the necessity of parents to be included in children’s education .
• Present your attitude towards working in a bureaucratic organization.
• Discuss the issue of the nursing shortage and suggest a solution.  
• Give different viewpoints on the definition of beauty .
• Analyze the problem of police misconduct. 
• Discuss the description of violence of African people in literature.
• Examine the views on Gardner’s multiple intelligence theory. 
• Describe the various opinions on mysticism and express your attitude towards it.
• Discuss the diverse standpoints on spirituality.
• Is nature protection an urgent problem?
• Analyze different ideas on physical privacy at work.
• Discussion on the Jewish heritage in nursing.
• Examine the views on the meaning of life.  

Good luck with your discussions and discursive essays! Be sure to check out the articles on our blog for more academic wisdom. By the way, on the Custom-Writing website, you may find the best essay topics for your academic writing.

And don’t forget to share your opinion in the comments below.

You might also be interested in:

• Friendship Essay: Writing Guide & Topic Ideas about Friendship
• Teamwork Essay: Quick Guide on How to Write a Good Paper
• Compare and Contrast Essay Writing Tips and Examples
• Transportation Essay: Writing Tips and Brilliant Topics

✏️ Discursive Essay FAQ

There is no one definitely correct answer to this question. Like any other essay, the text should have a clear structure with an introduction, body, and conclusion. The most important thing is that the overall book needs to be cohesive, persuasive, and exciting to read.

An example of a step by step guide is:

1. Take a closer look at the topic, think about the points to cover.

2. Choose the most relevant points and compose the Body of the essay.

3. Add an appropriate Introduction and Conclusion.

To write a good conclusion, you need to have the rest of the essay finished. Does the body of your essay present well-structured points? Great, then see what you can conclude based on that. If possible, make a connection between the introduction and the conclusion.

To ensure that your essay has a perfect structure, start with creating an outline. Based on such a plan, you can present your points step by step. Your text should have a relevant introduction, several points in the main body (with examples), and a logical conclusion.

🔗 References

• Writing an Opinion Essay: Grace Fleming, ThoughtCo
• How to Write a Good Argumentative Essay: Easy Step-by-Step Guide: Master Class
• Ending the Essay: Conclusions: Harvard College Writing Center
• Academic Writing Style: University of Southern California
• Cite Your Sources: Library Guides at University of California, Santa Cruz
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I Study Homelessness. I Wish More Places Looked Like This Shelter.

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• Environment

In this audio essay, the sociologist Matthew Desmond interviews a resident of the Water Street Mission shelter in Lancaster, Pa., about what makes it so unique. “Here’s a place that is treating people in their full humanity,” Mr. Desmond says. “It’s looking past their hardships, past their addictions, past their homelessness to see people’s promise, to see people’s beauty. And wouldn’t it be amazing if that was the norm instead of the exception.”

Below is a lightly edited transcript of the interview. To listen to this piece, select the play button below.

Matthew Desmond: My name is Matthew Desmond. I’m a writer and a sociologist at Princeton University.

I research and report on poverty in America. That work has taken me to a number of homeless shelters across the United States. Shelters housed in decommissioned military bases, old hotels, church basements, you name it.

Homeless shelters are a vital part of the safety net. But they have a mixed reputation, I think it’s fair to say. Some are thought to be too strict, others too lenient. I wanted to hear from shelter residents themselves. So last year I visited Water Street Mission in Lancaster, Pa.

Water Street Mission is housed in an old cotton mill. It’s this kind of giant brick complex. There are places to sleep. But they also have family rooms. They have kids’ play spaces. And importantly, there’s a medical wing where people can receive medical care, psychological care and even dental care during their stay at Water Street.

What I heard there surprised me. I think Water Street can be seen as a model, not only for what homeless shelters can aspire to but also for how we can rethink anti-poverty programs in general, making sure those programs are delivered in such a way that people feel affirmed, feel valued.

I want to introduce you to one of the people I met at Water Street. His name is James Costello.

Audio clip of James Costello: OK

Clip of Matthew Desmond: So if it’s all right with you, I’d love to ask you a few questions and record those questions.

Clip of Costello: Yeah, that’s fine.

Clip of Desmond: And it’s really trying to elevate your voice on this issue.

Clip of Costello: OK, well, I have no problem getting my voice up. [Laughs.] As my mother said, I got a very big mouth. [Laughs.]

Desmond: So James was born in Lancaster. He was 58 when I met him. He’s a broad-shouldered man with a graying goatee. He uses a cane and a prosthetic leg to walk. He’s nicknamed his prosthetic leg Peggy.

James worked as a cook for decades. Before coming to Water Street, he lived with friends and was saving up to buy a home from a co-worker. But —

Clip of Costello: My health went, and so did the hours of work, and money got real tight, real fast.

Clip of Desmond: And so you were cooking, and then you started to experience health problems. Can you tell me about that?

Clip of Costello: Basically diabetes.

Clip of Desmond: Did you lose your leg before or after you came here?

Clip of Costello: It was before I came here.

Clip of Desmond: Did you reach out to family during that time?

Clip of Costello: My family’s reaching out to me all the time. OK. I was the fix-it guy. I was the guy they came to. So there was really no family to go to.

Clip of Desmond: You couldn’t stay with your kids?

Clip of Costello: I had one son, and he doesn’t want anything to do with me.

Clip of Desmond: OK.

Clip of Costello: For his reasons, I had to respect him, though, on that and not push it. But I found a new family here.

Clip of Desmond: When you first arrived here, what was that experience like for you psychologically? I mean, how were you processing that?

Clip of Costello: I was scared to death.

Clip of Desmond: You were scared?

Clip of Costello: Yeah, I mean, I never was in a situation like this. Some of the guys that had been here a while took me under their wing. Showed me the ropes, what needs to happen, what you need to do, what they’re expecting of you. When I first got here, it amazed me. There was a gentleman that got a job. He started the next day. And all he needed was a pair of boots. Steel-toed boots. Within an hour he had two pair of boots, four pair of pants and three work shirts. From guys pulling it out of their own bags. The brotherhood here is unheard-of.

Desmond: The idea at Water Street is to address not just people’s material needs, like housing and employment, but the whole person, including their emotional, even their spiritual needs. Water Street used to accommodate guests with pretty rough sleeping arrangements. They were these, like, wooden pallets the guests nicknamed boats. So this shelter switched locations to one where they had more room. The boats are now gone, replaced with single beds with full bedding.

Clip of Costello: That is like a hotel, and you know, you have so much dignity just being there. Yeah, you’re in a room with 45 other guys, but you still feel like a person. You don’t feel like cattle being shoved in and shoved out of a room. The meal is the same way. You figure there’s probably between a hundred and three hundred people going in and out of that dining hall three times a day. The meals are always hot. And good.

Desmond: We desperately need more shelters like Water Street, and we certainly have the resources. A recent economic study estimated that if the top 1 percent of income earners in America just paid all the federal income taxes they owed, we could raise an additional $175 billion a year. That’s 38 times what it would cost to provide a bed to every person experiencing unsheltered homelessness in America.

When it comes to abolishing poverty or solving the homelessness crisis, America’s problem has never been a lack of resources. Our problem has been a lack of moral clarity, moral urgency. Some might call it a lack of heart. But at Water Street, people experiencing homelessness are not just provided for. They’re also listened to. They’re believed in. Some might call that love.

When I left Water Street, I just couldn’t help feeling how much of a contrast it was to all these other places poor people find themselves. You know, eviction court, parole office, even other homeless shelters often treat people experiencing hardship as numbers, as cases, as burdens. And here’s a place that is treating people in their full humanity. It’s looking past their hardships, past their addictions, past their homelessness to see people’s promise, to see people’s beauty. And wouldn’t it be amazing if that was the norm instead of the exception.

The post I Study Homelessness. I Wish More Places Looked Like This Shelter. appeared first on New York Times .

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