Cycles of Change

Language discussing housing instability often relies on monolithic compassion. This framing obscures the realities of the unhoused. It groups diverse populations into one category. Common advocacy frameworks utilize generalized empathy. These models [...]

The language used to classify individuals living outside traditional housing has changed over time, reflecting shifts in social values and economic goals. Historically, terms like hobo, tramp, and bum served as descriptive types rather than simple [...]

In the shadow of the dominant market economy, an older, more resilient system persists: the gift economy. While the market relies on transaction and contract (I give you X, you give me Y, and we are done), the gift economy relies on relationship and [...]