Where is Homelessness? When is Homelessness? Chronotopic Analysis of OECD Narratives of the Homelessness through Space, Time, and Body

Abstract

Defining homelessness clearly without reducing the problem’s complexity helps governments frame effective and conscious policies. There is a growing need for a theoretical framework that explores the common ground and generative structure among broad narratives about homelessness. In this article, we propose that Bakhtin’s (1981) concept of chronotope has excellent potential to achieve this goal. Chronotopes help us understand how time, space, and body configurations are represented in language and discourse for recognizing various situations and personas. Chronotope also enables us to reveal the assumptions and perspectives behind the narrative. Using a chronotopic lens, we analyzed narrations of homelessness from national governments and international organizations of 38 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries. The findings reveal the dynamism, diversity, and assortment of dimensions related to time, space, and body in the analyzed narratives and highlight five main perspectives viewing homelessness as an issue of security, vulnerability, quantification, inclusivity, and human rights. The results of this analysis will guide upcoming research in two primary areas: investigating varied measurement methodologies for assessing different aspects of time, space, and body and scrutinizing how distinct attitudes towards homelessness impact policymaking and development processes.