Cloke, P., Johnsen, S. and May, J. (2005) Exploring ethos? Discourses of 'charity' in the provision of emergency services for homeless people. Environment and Planning A, 37. pp. 385-402. ISSN 0308-518X
Abstract
This paper examines the ethos of organisations providing emergency services for homeless people in Britain. Drawing on extensive surveys of nonstatutory organisations we present a discourse analysis of statements of 'mission', 'values', and 'ethics', arguing that, although care needs to be exercised in translating organisational ethos into likely practices of care, these overarching messages of ethos are significant waymarkers in the moral landscapes of caring for homeless people. Using Coles's rethinking of the politics of generosity, we interrogate ethos in terms of three ideal types -- Christian caritas, secular humanism, and postsecular charity -- concluding that the principal fault-line in current services divides organisations which expect particular behavioural outcomes from homeless people (including Christian 'conversion' and more secular assumptions of self-responsibility), and those which provide care regardless of individual response.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > Research Groups (York) > Centre for Housing Policy (York) |
Depositing User: | York RAE Import |
Date Deposited: | 03 Sep 2009 09:03 |
Last Modified: | 03 Sep 2009 09:03 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1068/a36189 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Pion |
Identification Number: | 10.1068/a36189 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:6089 |