(Photo Reference: Phang. 2015.Blog Assignment - An Intro to Urban Geography)
Walking past such a scene on Independence Square is not uncommon to Trinidadians.The same can be said for the neglect that the homeless receive in most urban spaces. Cities are characterized by movement ; particularly a constantly fast paced lifestyle as persons move to and fro with urgency.Within the urban setting this factor contributes to the invisibility and exclusion that is associated with homelessness. However, there is a reason for the convergence of the homeless in the Urban place. In Port of Spain alone, there is a large population of the homeless that occupy Tamarind Square ( east of Brian Lara Promenade) typically referred to by some as “vagrant square” which in its appearance is somewhat of a campsite for these street dwellers.The homeless recognize the opportunities of charity and a greater chance of survival in the urban setting as opposed to a more rural or residential area. In the image above, a homeless man lays asleep along a walkway in broad daylight. His presence here may only affect the route in which some pedestrians may take, the one furthest away from where he lies because of the general stigma that is attached to homelessness.
The geographies of homelessness is a field in which has not been fully explored by human geographers, past and existing censuses on the homeless population may never be precise to actual numbers as the geographies of the matter is complex. Through the investigation of the American experience with homelessness (Takahashi,1996) conflicting theories exist on the root causes of homelessness; while some geographers would like to lay the blame on structural changes or circumstances beyond the control of those who become homeless (global economy, increasingly competitive markets and the saturation of particular disciplines that result in unemployment others) social scientists argue the individual vulnerabilities or deficits constitute the primary cause for example the choice to indulge in drugs and other substances that lead to their downward spiral. Further exploration of the causes of homelessness can only be done on a personal level, research must progress in the direction of personal cases and social work.
Particular to the Trinidad experience with homelessness, the situation is driven by the lost of home rather than that of persons willingly wanting to be homeless. According to a local study,40 percent of the homeless have nowhere to live, were thrown out of their home or their home was destroyed, 25 percent stated that their parents were deceased and there was no one to care for them, 21 percent had drug and alcohol problems and 14 percent were hospitalized, in prison and/or unemployed (Grant 2008).
The public stigma created whether intentionally or unintentionally by the media and governmental bodies do not aid in the efforts to assist the homeless.The homeless are humiliated and ostracized, scorned and ignored by those who cannot fathom or will never know what it is like reach a junction that leads to being without a home.Homelessness, with direct ties to poverty, is difficult to escape and barriers of home making and “the process of home” exist in an effort to transition. In supplying the homeless with a connection to a residential place that they may have familiarity to, home making may face several constraints. One of the major problems is in establishing what is the true nature of “home” and how this can be differentiated from the concepts of a "shelter" ( Rivlin and Moore, 2001).
While non governmental organization in the form of humanitarians and religious bodies have made an effort to house the homeless temporarily and nourish them, the government of Trinidad and Tobago should make a greater effort toward incentives that curb the numbers of street dwellers within these urban spaces with the aid of explorations of the geographies of homelessness.
While non governmental organization in the form of humanitarians and religious bodies have made an effort to house the homeless temporarily and nourish them, the government of Trinidad and Tobago should make a greater effort toward incentives that curb the numbers of street dwellers within these urban spaces with the aid of explorations of the geographies of homelessness.
1. Ravlin, Leanne G, and Jeanne Moore ."Home- Making: Supports and Barriers to the Process of Home." Journal of Social Distress and the Homeless. Vol.10, No.4. ( 2001)
2, Takahashi, Lois M. "A Decade of Understanding Homelessness in the USA : from characterization to representation." Process in Human Geography. 20, 3 (1996) pp. 291 -310.
3.Catholic News. http://www.catholicnews-tt.net/archives/08/08/03/viewpoint.htm
4. Grant, LT. " The Nowayrians : Homelessness in Trinidad and Tobago" (2008)
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