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HOMELESSNESS THEORY AND RESEARCH 7

Homelessness Theory and Research

Christopher Malone

HHS 497

Instructor Michelle Wilson

January 31, 2017

Homelessness Theory and Research

Describe two to three theories that relate to your topic area in some manner. To accommodate the broad spectrum of social issues that might be explored, aim to find theories that attempt to explain some the following areas:

The issue of homelessness is among the many social issues within the United States that significantly affects people. Homeless individuals are mainly those that lack the ability to attain and maintain permanent structures where they can reside. Certain theories exist which mainly aim to explain certain aspects of homelessness and the reasons why it exists in the society. A good example of these theories includes the Emile Durkheim’s Functionalism Theory and Karl Marx Social Conflict theory. The social conflict theory, to begin with, refers to a social theory developed by a German philosopher, Karl Marx. In his theory, Karl explains that groups and individuals within a society interact with the conflict bases compared to consensus. Theorists that utilize the conflict theory have attained a significantly different view compared to other individuals, where they view conflict as an engine of change. The theory explains that individuals have different ability to attain both material and non-material resources. This aspect creates two main groups of individuals within the society. These include the rich and the poor. Homelessness is simply identified with poverty. When people are extremely poor, they lack the ability to attain and maintain permanent residence and thus they become homeless individuals (Augusto, 2008).

Emile Durkheim’s Functionalism Theory, on the other hand, refers to a social theory that was described by Emile Durkheim. In his theory, Emile explains that the society is a system, which operates at a balance. A single change of how it runs therefore on one of its sectors significantly affects another sector. If for example, a certain group of individuals attains a lot of goods and resources, other people lose those goods and resources mainly because despite the change, that takes place within the society, material and non-material resources within the society remain constant. Currently, many individuals have managed to increase their wealth significantly. They have attained means through which they can amass material wealth, an aspect that has made these people extremely rich. Since the society is a system, however, the aspect of these individuals having too much wealth has made a significant effect on other people’s lives. They have attained extreme poverty and thus lacked the ability to attain and maintain a permanent house or facility where they can reside. The changes in society where a certain group of people has attained too much wealth is thus the main cause of homelessness according to of this theory (Willse, 2015).

Critically evaluate the theories described, taking into account their benefits and limitations, as well as how health and human service organizations might use them to better understand the scope of the issue.

The Karl Marx social conflict theory and the Emile Durkheim’s Functionalism Theory have both similarities and differences in their ability to address and explain the social issue of homelessness. The first similarity is the fact that both theories fully explain the aspect of homelessness and the means through which it occurs within the society. The Karl Marx theory explains class conflicts, where individuals in different classes compete for scarce resources with individuals in other classes. This aspect leads to homelessness of some social groups when they lose the resources they had to other social groups and thus lack the ability to acquire permanent housing. The functionalism theory, on the other hand, explains that homelessness is obtained when some people manage to attain too many resources within the society and thus other people have to lose them in order to maintain balance.

One of the main difference between these two theories is their explanation concerning homelessness. Functionalism theory explains the cause of this social issue as the response to the social system due to many people amassing wealth and thus others become poor, while the Karl Marx theory explain that a group of people loose in the competition for scarce resources and thus they become poor and homeless. Another main difference between these two theories is the fact that one of the theories explain about individuals within the society while the other theory base its explanations from groups within the society (Riis, & Leviatin, 2011).

Describe two to three examples of research studies that have explored the issue.

Due to the significance of this issue and the need to identify a solution, many individuals have carried out studies that address some of its aspects. One study that provide a clear explanation of the issue of homelessness in the United States is the journal article, “Taking It to the Streets; Homelessness, Health, and Health Care in the United States,” authored by Jeff Singer. This source explain about the effects of homelessness on the homeless individuals. The author mainly focuses on the aspects of health and the many ways through which the issue of homelessness causes negative effects on its victims. Homeless individuals tend to lack the means through which they can safeguard and protect themselves from poor hygiene and thus their health is significantly affected (Singer, 2003).

Another significant article that provides information concerning homelessness in the United States is the article, “Epidemiology of Homelessness in the United States,” authored by P.E. Kilgore. This article provide a study concerning the extent to which the problem of homelessness has affected the United States. The authors obtain data from highly reliable organizations among which include the National Coalition for the Homeless. The author concludes the article by explaining that currently, the United States has this significant social problem, which is increasing over time. It, therefore, requires being addressed. The aim of the research study was to determine the extent to which the social problem should be considered a significant epidemiology within the United States (Kigole, 2013).

References

Augusto, V. (2008). The institutional dynamics of homelessness: The United States of America and Japan compared, Bingley: The International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.pc.maricopa.edu/docview/203708750?pq-origsite=summon

Kigole, P. (2013). Epidemiology of Homelessness in the United States: Annals of Epidemiology.

Riis, J. & Leviatin, D. (2011). How the other half lives : studies among the tenements of New York : with related documents. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's.

Singer, J. (2003). Taking It to the Streets: Homelessness, Health, and Health Care in the United States. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 18(11), 964–965. http://doi.org/10.1046/j.1525-1497.2003.30903.x

Willse, C. (2015). The value of homelessness : managing surplus life in the United States. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.