Contextualizing Homelessness: Critical Theory, Homelessness, and Federal Policy Addressing the Homeless

178 Pages·2005·2.24 MB·English

by  Kenneth Kyle

N ew A pproaches in Sociology
Studies in Social Inequality, Social
Change, and Social Justice
Edited By
Nancy A. Naples
University of Connecticut
A R outledge Series
N ew Approaches in Sociology
Studies in Social Inequality, Social Change,
and Social Justice
N ancy A. N aples, General Editor
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CONTEXTUALIZING HOMELESSNESS
Critical Theory, Homelessness, and
Federal Policy Addressing the
Homeless
Ken Kyle
CONTEXTUALIZING HOMELESSNESS
Critical Theory, Homelessness, and Federal
Policy Addressing the Homeless
Ken Kyle
Routledge
New York & London
Published in 2005 by Published in Great Britain by
Routledge Routledge
Taylor & Francis Group Taylor & Francis Group
270 Madison Avenue 2 Park Square
New York, NY 10016 Milton Park, Abingdon
Oxon 0X14 4RN
© 2005 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group.
Transferred to Digital Printing 2009
International Standard Book Number-10: 0-415-97442-9 (Hardcover)
International Standard Book Number-13: 978-0-415-97442-4 (Hardcover)
Library of Congress Card Number 2005008753
No part of this book may be reprinted, reproduced, transmitted, or utilized in any form by any electronic,
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Library of Congress Cataloging-In-Publication Data
Kyle, Ken.
Contextualizing homelessness : critical theory, homelessness, and
federal policy addressing the homeless / Ken Kyle.
p. cm. — (New approaches in sociology)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN10: 0-415-97442-9 (hbk)
ISBN10: 0-415-80229-6 (pbk)
ISBN13: 978-0-415-97442-4 (hbk)
ISBN13: 978-0-415-80229-1 (pbk)
1. Homelessness—United States. 2. Critical theory. 3. Homelessness—
Government policy—United States. I. Title. II. Series.
HV4505.K95 2005
305.5'692—dc22 2005008753
informa Visit the Taylor & Francis Web site at
http ://www.taylorandfrancis.com
Taylor & Francis Group
and the Routledge Web site at
is the Academic Division of T&F Informa pic.
http ://www.routledge-ny.com
For my mother and father;
who ’ve always kept a home for me
&
For Peptol
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Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Foreword xi
Chapter One 1
Critical Theory and Homelessness
Chapter Two 19
Analytical Perspectives
Chapter Three 33
The McKinney Act of 1987
Chapter Four 63
“Homelessness” in Context
Chapter Five 103
Science and Homelessness
Chapter Six 127
Conclusions and Critical Review
Notes 139
Bibliography 145
Author Index 159
Subject Index 161
vii
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Acknowledgments
First and foremost, I would like to thank Anne L. Schneider who guided me
through this research from the very start. Not only did she offer encourage­
ment and research support throughout my doctoral studies and dissertation
research, but she also offered the occasional push and poke when one was
needed. I am in your debt, thank you. I am also grateful for the assistance of
Peg Bortner, David Theo Goldberg, and Pat Lauderdale who offered their
expertise and support throughout my doctoral studies. Many thanks. Along
the way, a number of friends and colleagues offered editorial suggestions and
comments on various chapter drafts. Thank you to Tara McBride, Susan
Jones, Judy Stein, and Tania Israel. My thanks also to Barbara Duffield of
the National Coalition for the Homeless and George Ferguson of the Depart­
ment of Housing and Urban Development. Both made me feel at home dur­
ing my repeated visits to their respective offices and both provided valuable
aid in locating resource materials and references. Also, I am particularly
indebted to George Ferguson who granted me an impromptu interview when
I first showed up at his office. In addition, I received technical support from
Mary Fran Draisker at ASU, and Ilhan Kucukaydin and Kathy Ritter at PSU.
Many thanks to each of you. Also, Penn State Capital College’s School of
Behavioral Sciences and Education and its Graduate Research Support office
each contributed funds for copy-editing. It is certainly appreciated. I could
not have completed this project without the support and friendship of Holly
Angelique, Diana Weaver, Robert Brem and Ed Taylor. Muchas gracias my
friends!
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