'When you sleep on a park bench, you sleep with your ears open and one eye open': Australian Aboriginal peoples' experiences of homelessness in an urban setting
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Date
2016
Authors
Browne-Yung, Kathryn
Ziersch, Anna Marie
Baum, Fran
Gallaher, Gilbert
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AIATSIS - Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
Rights
© AIATSIS Aboriginal Studies Press
Rights Holder
AIATSIS Aboriginal Studies Press
Abstract
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are ten times more likely than non-Indigenous people to be homeless, which is an indicator of the level of health and social disparity that exists between the two groups. This paper presents the experiences of homelessness for a group of ten Aboriginal people located in Adelaide. Using Bourdieu's theoretical approach, we explore how these individuals interact with their environment, notably in the context of historical institutional disadvantage, and explore how this affects health and wellbeing. We highlight the subjective nature of homelessness, which is influenced by factors such as culture, age, and poor mental and physical health. We demonstrate the complex, diverse needs and heterogeneous nature of homelessness for Aboriginal people, which occur in the context of an enduring, specific historical experience of disadvantage, where the pathways into homelessness may vary and where homelessness may not always be perceived as negative. All participants experienced racism and reported resultant ill effects. Our study indicates the need for effective responses to homelessness to take account of the historical context of dispossession in developing culturally sensitive responses that reflect the nuances and diversity among homeless Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Description
© AIATSIS Aboriginal Studies Press
Keywords
Aboriginal Australians--Health and hygiene, Torres Strait Islanders--Education;, Homeless persons--Housing;, Racism;, Aboriginal Australians--Social life and customs;, Demographic surveys;
Citation
Browne-Yung, K., Ziersch, A., Baum, F., & Gallaher, G. (2016). 'When you sleep on a park bench, you sleep with your ears open and one eye open': Australian Aboriginal peoples' experiences of homelessness in an urban setting. Australian Aboriginal Studies, (2), 3-17.