Post on 15-Jun-2015
transcript
Situating Practice within Diversity:Homelessness and Human Development in Bangladesh
Sub-theme: Interventions in Homelessness
Homelessness: A Global PerspectiveInternational Conference, 9-13 January 2006, New Delhi, India
Shayer GhafurBangladesh University of Engineering and Technology
Argument
• Homogenous representation of homelessness in the public discourse is a constraint for intervention
• In representation without differentiation Etiology and pathology of homeless people remain unrelated
• Practice to be situated within diversity of homelessness
2/12
Methodology
• Review of published documents and complementing them with media reports
• ‘Critical Discourse Analysis’ provides the methodological framework
3/12
Structure
• Homelessness in Bangladesh(prior understanding)
• Homogenous Representation of Homelessness
• Review of practice• Implications of Homogenous
Representation• Conclusions
4/12
Homelessness in Bangladesh(prior understanding)
• Diversity and similarityRoof-Root-Resource lessness Types: Floating homelessness
Situated homelessness Potential homelessness
• Home for human developmentAccess to home interferes homeless people’s ability to earn, learn, and live with good health
5/12
Homogenous Representation of Homelessness
Forms of homogenous representationSlum dwellers (bastee-bashies)
6/12
Missing Diversity Age: Adult / Child Sex: Male /
FemaleSocial Unit: Individual/
household
7/12
Reasons for homogenous representation • Absence of a statutory definition• Absence of social distinctions • Operational conveniences
8/12
Return Home (Ghore Phera) -a review of practice
• Return Home is a credit programme
• It identifies slum dwellers as rootless people willing to return to villages
• It classified slum dwellers into 4 groups1. Has homestead land, house and small land2. Has homestead land and house, but no land3. Has only homestead land4. Has nothing
9/12
Implications of Homogenous Representation
Representing slum dwellers as homeless people is selective and segmental • Policy:
‘physical perspective’ in policy formulation • Practice:
‘top-down’ intervention with sectoral goals• Political:
‘disempowerment’ of homeless people10/12
Conclusions
• Public discourse do not adopt the concept of homelessness to note its differentiation for subsequent intervention
• Situating practice within diversity is required
11/12
Suggested Framework for Future PracticeStructure Age
Homelessness(Floating — Situated — Potential)
Etiology Pathology(Causes) (Manifest Consequences)
Sex
Human Development
Agency Practice Social unit
12/12