Ingrid
Sahlin
The Staircase of Transition: Survival through Failure
Abstract
The
structure of available shelter and housing for the homeless in
Sweden resembles a staircase. The higher an individual climbs, the
more privacy and freedom he/she is awarded and the more
‘normal’ that individual's housing becomes, a regular rental
flat typifying the ultimate goal. Despite growing evidence that
this approach to housing, training and reintegrating the homeless
fails to reduce homelessness, it is in fact expanding. This
paradox is the focus of this article. The first section outlines
the origin, elements and vision of the ‘staircase of transition’
and its development. The following two sections provide brief
summaries on research carried out on the outcome of the model in
terms of homeless numbers, and on the model's internal tensions
and dynamics. Finally, common responses to criticism of the
staircase model are discussed and reasons for its survival
provided.
Maureen
Crane and Anthony M. Warnes
Responding to the Needs of Older Homeless People: The
Effectiveness and Limitations of British Services
Abstract
The article
examines why the statutory and voluntary- (non-profit) sector
services in Britain do not fully meet the needs of vulnerable
older people or prevent homelessness among them. Britain has a
relatively comprehensive welfare safety net for vulnerable people,
and since the early 1990s central government has taken a more
directive and strategic role in the development of services
specifically for homeless people. As a result, service provision
has greatly expanded, diversified and specialized, but nonetheless,
many older people still become and remain homeless. An underlying
reason is that there is a gap between the behaviour of some very
vulnerable people and the general assumption of the welfare state
services that people in need will request help. Some older people,
through mental health problems, alienation or apathy, do not ask
for help, and the lack of a duty among most statutory services to
‘seek out’ unmet needs means that this group is neglected.
Outreach work or active case finding is not normally undertaken by
mainstream health and housing providers, while its provision by
voluntary organizations has until recently been limited to the
largest cities. Moreover, government policies and many homeless
services target the needs of young homeless people, and
consequently the organization and ‘culture’ of many homeless
services are unsuited to the problems and needs of older homeless
people. The article concludes with a discussion of the uncertain
future for services for older homeless people in Britain.
Matthias
Till
Assessing the Housing Dimension of Social Inclusion in Six
European Countries
Abstract
This article proposes a
theoretical framework of housing integration based on the
affordability, quality and size of the accommodation. A
‘consensual’ definition of minimum standards is derived on the
basis of the statistical relationship between objective conditions
and subjective perceptions. The model was tested on six EU Member
States, namely Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland and
Italy, using the 1998 data from the European Community Household
Panel (ECHP). The approach demonstrates the feasibility of compact
measures of housing integration. The results confirm national
differences in housing conditions and integration that relate to
social policy regimes.
Antonio
Tosi
Re-housing and Social Reintegration of Homeless People: A Case
Study from Milan
Abstract
This
article examines the different approaches taken by two social
associations in Milan, regarding the role of re-housing in the
reintegration of homeless people into the community/society. A
marked improvement in the quality of life and the attainment of a
varying degree of independence following reintegration was
recorded for all those interviewed. At the same time, however,
most continue facing problems and in several cases the
independence achieved was limited. Re-housing homeless people in
‘normal’ accommodation is a basic ingredient of the social
reintegration process, because of the power of ‘normality’ and
the values that have historically been constructed around living
at/having a ‘home’—freedom, security, privacy, comfort. The
persistence of fragile situations sets the limits of reintegration,
establishes the framework within which the meaning of the
integration achieved must be understood and assessed, and
demonstrates that taking responsibility for those in fragile
situations even after reintegration ought to be a primary policy
objective. The article addresses some critical aspects in order to
define this framework: the analytical and policy relevance of
poverty as a component of homelessness, the need to question the
social construction of the problem of ‘extreme’ social
marginalization, and the immense structural obstacles these people
encounter with access to housing and work.
Volker
Busch-Geertsema
Does Re-housing Lead to Reintegration? Follow-up Studies of
Re-housed Homeless People
Abstract
The article presents the
results of a number of follow-up studies of re-housed homeless
people in different European countries, including three recent
studies in Dublin (Ireland), Hanover (Germany) and Milan (Italy).
They have shown mainly positive outcomes even for many long-term
and severely marginalized homeless persons – if those who need
social support are adequately provided with it. On the other hand
they proof that expectations should not be too high and – to put
it drastically – re-housing usually does not make homeless poor
people healthy, wealthy and wise. Different degrees of relative
autonomy and integration are achieved.
Despite the
heterogeneity of homeless people and the need for differentiated
services for different subgroups, access to normal housing and the
provision of adequate material and personal support for those in
need of it remain the most important requirements for the
successful (re-) integration of marginalized homeless people.
Abdelillah Hamdouch
Émergence et légitimité des institutions, coordination
économique et nature de la rationalité des agents
Abstract
Si le rôle des
dispositifs institutionnels dans la réalisation de la
coordination économique est aujourd'hui reconnu par l'essentiel
des courants de la pensée économique, l'articulation théorique
entre la problématique de la coordination et les dimensions
institutionnelles qu'elle recouvre reste souvent partielle ou
superficielle. L'hypothèse explorée dans cet article est que
c'est le maintien du principe de rationalité strictement
individuelle et calculée qui empêche de raccorder de manière
cohérente institutions et coordination. Par contraste, l'adoption
d'un principe alternatif de rationalité, dans lequel cette dernière
est conçue comme un phénomène à la fois socialisé et
essentiellement systémique, permet de justifier sur une base
endogène les conditions d’émergence, de légitimité et
d'activation des institutions en tant que règles et dispositifs
spécifiques de coordination.
[Emergence and
Legitimacy of Institutions, Economic Co-ordination and the Nature
of Agents’ Rationality.] While the role of institutions in the
achievement of economic co-ordination is recognized by a large
body of economic thought, the theoretical articulation between
economic co-ordination and the institutional dimensions it
involves remains partial or superficial. The hypothesis explored
in this article is as follows: the preservation of the principle
of a strictly calculated rationality prevents linking institutions
coherently and obstructs and coordination. By contrast, the
adoption of an alternative principle of rationality, conceiving it
as a social and essentially systemic phenomenon, allows the
endogenous vindication of the emergence, legitimacy and activation
of institutions, viewed as co-ordination rules as well as specific
co-ordinating devices.
Franz Pichler
Science and Human Dignity: Ethical Questions on the Funding
of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research in the Sixth Framework
Programme of the European Commission for Research, Technological
Development and Demonstration (2002-2006)
Abstract
This article focuses on
the ethics of funding human embryonic stem cell research within
the Sixth Framework RTD Programme of the European Communities
(2003–2006). It presents and analyzes the arguments and the
attitudes of the actors which took part in the relevant
negotiations (2001–2003), especially the ‘Conservative’ and
the ‘Liberal’ group within the Council of Ministers. Having
outlined the present situation, possible future thrusts are
indicated such as possible breakthroughs in research using adult
stem cells proving equally effective to cure diseases such as
Alzheimer's or Parkinson's or diabetes. This development could
make the use of embryonic stem cell research less urgent or
obsolete. But we should also keep in mind that the demand for
‘in vitro fertilization’ as a result of the weakening
reproductive efficiency of sperm will probably increase and
therefore fuel the discussion regarding the use of spare embryos.
Therefore the direction of developments cannot be foreseen with
certainty at present. Regarding the next Framework RTD Programme
(2007–2013), the worst-case scenario would be if this stem cell
research issue were to impede the work of the Council and
therefore unnecessarily delay its start.
