Research topic:

Homelessness, Urban Space and Care in a time of limited resources: A comparative ethnography of Athens and London

Supervisors:

Professor Bridget Hutter (Department of Sociology), Dr Suzi Hall (Department of Sociology) and Dr Janet Foster (Department of Sociology)

Research Interests:

Urban Sociology; Homelessness; Socio-spatial Inequalities; Social Exclusion; Austerity Urbanism; Austerity Governance; Ethnographic Research

Thesis Abstract:

My thesis explores the interconnection between homelessness, urban space and care in Athens and London in a time of limited resources. It focuses on the perspective of the homeless and specifically, on the way they experience urban space in relation to their daily routines, regulation of public space and spaces of care. In addition, it focuses on the perspective of care providers and frontline staff in order to explore how care is organised and provided by them in the ‘landscape of care’. Methodologically, this project constitutes a multi-sited comparative ethnography across cities. In doing so, it employs ethnographic observation, interviews with homeless people, municipal and NGO officials and frontline staff as well as visual data.