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WORK LIVES OF HOMELESS MEN ERIC WALLACE BA, Classics Ohio State University March ... PDF

260 Pages·2017·1.16 MB·English
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WORK LIVES OF HOMELESS MEN ERIC WALLACE B.A., Classics Ohio State University March 2001 M.Ed., Middle Childhood Education Ohio State University August 2004 M.A., Counseling and Social Psychology Ball State University August 2009 Submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree: Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Education Counseling Psychology Specialization Cleveland State University November, 2017 ©Copyright by Eric Wallace, 2017 We hereby approve the dissertation of Eric Wallace Candidate for the Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Education, Counseling Psychology Specialization This Dissertation has been approved for the Office of Doctoral Studies, the College of Education and Human Services, and Cleveland State University, College of Graduate Studies by: ____________________________________________________________________ Donna E. Schultheiss, Ph.D., Chairperson and Methodologist Curriculum, Administration, Supervision, and Adult Learning ____________________________________________________________________ Graham B. Stead, Ph.D. Curriculum and Foundations ____________________________________________________________________ Julia C. Phillips. Ph.D. Curriculum, Administration, Supervision, and Adult Learning ____________________________________________________________________ Peter Meiksins Ph.D. Department of Sociology __________________________________________________________________ Justin Perry, Ph.D. College of Education, University of Missouri Kansas City th November 29 , 2017 Candidate’s Date of Defense Dedication To my parents and my sisters, for endless support, and to Lauren, for putting up with me while I finished. Acknowledgements Thanks to: Donna Schultheiss, for helping me bring this study to fruition, and for providing advice since Fall 2009. This help was presaged by a conversation about my future plans at Ball State in the Summer of 2009, during which Kristen Perrone told me “I think you’ll like Donna Schultheiss.” Justin Perry, for many years of engaging community based research and many interesting conversations that accompanied thinking and writing about it, including involving me in the shelter where this research took place. Laura Moncrief and Jeff Rosenbaum for helping me learn how to say “I don’t have enough time to do all of that,” and to realize I do not have try to do every scrap of work I am offered, even if the work is interesting and will help other people. CSU counseling psychology faculty pushing me to prioritize my work and finish. WORK LIVES OF HOMELESS MEN ERIC WALLACE ABSTRACT This study sought to better understand how currently homel ess men have met their work needs through a mix of formal and informal work across their lives. The Biographical Narrative Interview Method (BNIM), a qualitative method that seeks to analyze biographical narratives related in interviews, was utilized to co llect and analyze the data. The loss of blue-collar jobs, criminal histories, and substance abuse difficulties all served to circumscribe the work available to these men. Nevertheless, participants negotiated these circumstances, as well as early traumas, to build complex work histories. Social connection emerged as a central need participants met through work. The status provided by jobs was also very important, as many participants wanted to be viewed positively, especially given perceived societal biases against them. Participants described several other psychological needs met by work, including survival, time structure, competence, and autonomy. Interconnections between needs and societal phenomena, such as the loss of blue collar jobs, were observed in the narratives. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... vi LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................... xiii CHAPTER: I. INTRODUCTION ................................ ................................ ............................... 1 Defining Homelessness ................................ ................................ ................ 6 Ostensible Causes of Homelessness ................................ ............................ 8 Structural Explanations ................................ ................................ ....9 Housing Cost ................................ ................................ ......10 A Shifting Economy and Work ................................ .......... 11 Deindustrializ ation ................................ ............................. 12 Personal Explanations ................................ ................................ ....13 Mental Illness and Substance Dependence ........................ 13 Issues with Causality ................................ .......................... 15 Lack of Personal Responsibility ................................ ........17 Defining Work ................................ ................................ ........................... 18 Psychological Needs Filled by Work ................................ ......................... 21 Integrating Psychological of Working and Latent Benefits of Work ........24 Conclusion ................................ ................................ ................................ .25 II. LITERATURE REVIEW ................................ ................................ ................. 27 Pathways, Careers, and Biographies ................................ .......................... 28 Models of Homeless Careers ................................ ......................... 29 Challenges to Ideal Biographies ................................ .................... 34 Work in Homelessness ................................ ................................ ............... 37 vii Types of Work ...............................................................................38 Regular Work .....................................................................39 Day Labor ..........................................................................39 Institutional Work ..............................................................40 Informal Day Labor or Tasks .............................................41 Scavenging and Recycling .................................................41 Panhandling........................................................................42 Selling ................................................................................43 Criminal Activity ...............................................................45 Barriers to Work ............................................................................44 Criminal History ................................................................45 Race....................................................................................46 Education and Training ......................................................47 Geographical Limiting Factors ..........................................47 Factors Associated with Being Homeless ..........................48 How Much of Each Type of Work? ...............................................49 Meeting Psychological Needs in Work......................................................52 Survival ..........................................................................................55 Actual Versus Relative Survival ........................................55 The Meaning of Relative Survival .....................................56 Extrication from Homelessness .........................................56 Meeting Daily Needs .........................................................57 Remuneration Available for Formal and Informal Work ..58 viii Drug and Alcohol Funding ................................................58 Social Status & Identity .................................................................59 Work Choice ......................................................................60 Presentation Strategies .......................................................61 Geographical Influences on Work Choice .........................62 Collective Effort.............................................................................62 Time Structure ...............................................................................64 Autonomy ......................................................................................64 Social Connection ..........................................................................65 Social Capital and Weak Ties ............................................66 Summary ....................................................................................................66 III. METHOD .......................................................................................................68 Rationale for BNIM ...................................................................................68 Philosophical Premises ..................................................................71 BNIM Research Design .............................................................................73 Procedures ..................................................................................................77 Sampling ........................................................................................77 Interviews .......................................................................................78 Primary Researcher ........................................................................78 “Kick Start” Panel ..........................................................................80 Participants .....................................................................................81 BNIM Data Analysis..................................................................................82 Conclusion .................................................................................................89 ix IV. RESULTS .......................................................................................................90 The Cases ...................................................................................................91 Henry..............................................................................................92 David ............................................................................................101 Robert ...........................................................................................112 John .............................................................................................119 Jason .............................................................................................126 James ............................................................................................131 Michael ........................................................................................139 Harold ..........................................................................................147 Edward .........................................................................................153 Paul ..............................................................................................160 Case Comparisons ....................................................................................172 Narrative Structural Patterns ........................................................172 Are Narratives Shaped By Work That Was Available ................176 Life Events and Circumstances ....................................................178 Work Experiences and History ........................................179 Childhood Events .............................................................183 Blue Collar Work .............................................................185 Criminal Offenses ............................................................186 Substance Abuse ..............................................................187 Meeting Need Through Work Across the Lifespan .....................189 Social Connection and Relationships...............................190 x

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