Narratives of Identity: Re-presentation of Self in People Who Are Homeless

Abstract

The problem of homelessness is a pressing social and health concern ascribed to the interaction between personal, social, economic, and service system resources. This article is based on a qualitative study of the experiences of 29 homeless individuals. In-depth interviews were conducted with single adult shelter users. Analysis revealed the self to be a process that was continually developing. Participants tacitly locate their self-concepts in the past, present, and future. These time frames reflect the form and content of self. They also reveal hopes, dreams, beliefs, and understandings about self. The ways in which homelessness discredits notions of self and personal identity, and the hierarchy of identity with which homeless individuals use to cope are also examined.