Betydelsen av ett hem, men för vem? : Att definiera hemlöshet: En WPR-analys av policydokument och dess konsekvenser för berörda individer och det sociala arbetet

Sammanfattning

The aim of this study was to examine how homelessness as a problem is represented and how homeless people are positioned in national and international policy documents. The aim was also to determine whether, or not, the national and international homelessness related goals were equivalent to each other. Through Carol Bacchi's (2009) policy analysis “What’s the problem represented to be?”, we take on a social constructivist perspective in order to unlock the effects that are produced when constructions are allowed to be taken for granted. We found that homelessness is seen as a resource demanding problem and thus are represented as a matter of responsibility. This problem representation of homelessness causes people experiencing homelessness to be positioned differently and in opposition to one another. The results also showed that The Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare describes homelessness as a problem affecting a heterogeneous group of people. Contradictingly, the Swedish Social Services support system targets a homogeneous group of people living in homelessness.