Annotated Bibliography

Fitzpatrick, S. Comparing Homelessness Research in the US and Britain

European Journal of Housing Policy, v. 6, iss. 3, 2006: pp. 313-313, Centre for Housing Policy, U York; U Birmingham

The US and Britain have the most extensive research literatures on homelessness in the English-speaking world, but they take markedly different approaches to scientific investigation of this topic. In this paper, we present a comparative evaluation of these two highly developed homelessness research traditions, drawing out methodological, conceptual and theoretical lessons for researchers in both countries, which we hope will also have a wider resonance for homelessness scholars across Europe and elsewhere in the economically developed world. The paper suggests that divergent explanations of homelessness in the US and Britain may reflect 'real' differences in the nature of homelessness in the two countries, rooted in their contrasting social and economic contexts, but argues that the incommensurability of the data currently generated by US and British researchers means that, at present, it is not possible to test this hypothesis.

Petrenchik, T. Homelessness: perspectives, misconceptions, and considerations for occupational therapy. Occupational Therapy in Health Care, 2006: 20 (3-4): pp. 9-30 (journal article - review, tables/charts) ISSN: 0738-0577 CINAHL AN: 2009510393

Like poverty, the problem of homelessness has been with us to varying degrees since the founding of our nation. Hence, the literature and popular media are home to divergent perspectives, explanations, and characterizations of homelessness. The taxonomy traces the connection between perspectives and interpretations of the problem and helps to illuminate implicit and often unexamined assumptions about who becomes homeless and why. Critical examination of these perspectives is vital because our individual and collective understanding of homelessness is a powerful determinant of how we approach occupational therapy practice with this population. Implications for community practice and program planning for individuals and families in homeless shelters are also discussed.

Homelessness in America, unless precipitated by acts of terrorism or natural disasters, receives relatively little attention in the media. Consequently, like an iceberg floating at sea, the depth and breadth of the phenomenon of homelessness remains hidden from public view. The visible tip of homelessness, which resurfaced as a social concern in the 1980s, tends to elicit fervent rather than impartial reactions among citizens and scholars alike. For decades, centuries in fact, we as a nation and as citizens have debated the origins of homelessness in America. Virtually everyone, from children to the elderly, and bus drivers to politicians, has an opinion on homelessness. Such a mixture of perspectives, which reflect our varied belief systems, values, and mores, can quickly heat and polarize social and scholarly discourses on homelessness. Genuinely impartial discussions about homelessness are rare, in part because this topic cuts to the very core of our personal and societal values.

Donley, Amy M. Sunset Years in Sunny Florida: Experiences of Homelessness among the Elderly. Care Management Journals11. 4. 2010: pp. 239-244.

This article culls insights from focus groups and interviews that I have conducted with poor and homeless elderly Floridians over the past 4 ...