Ethnographic Analysis Of Homelessness

Developing social theories and perspectives on homelessness and the homeless community can be difficult because of their elusive nature due to societal alienation. Many other groups allow for varied methods of study and research because of their apparent connection to the “normal” world. Homelessness, however, seems to only have one viable option for gathering detailed information and evidence that is strong enough to develop a theory or publication: an ethnographic study. This type of investigation would allow a sociologist to peer beyond the stereotypes of the homeless that are held by many Americans and use objective field research to organize and interpret subjective experiences. When conducting an ethnography of this nature, it would …show more content…
When analyzing homelessness, it seems most beneficial to apply the conflict theory when trying to understand their lives. I believe this to be the most practical because a large portion of homelessness is driven by economic conditions. Because we live in a capitalist society, different social classes compete to achieve their personal and economic interests. This conflict between the upper and lower classes further drives class separation, with homelessness being an inevitable result of economic inequality. And even though our country allows for economic and social mobility, the harsh competition for resources most certainly causes people to become impoverished and homeless, regardless of their decisions (Ferris and Stein 187-189). However, some sociologists would argue that employing the use of structural functionalism would be just as appropriate when interpreting qualitative data and the causes of homelessness. Using this theory, one could posit that homelessness is an integral stratum because it plays an important role in the balance of society. For example, if it weren’t for the homeless, there would be no class of people to provide community service and help to, like soup kitchens and shelters. These programs allow higher-ranking citizens the ability to experience altruism through helping the homeless, a pivotal function indeed (Ferris and Stein 189-191). The main concern with functionalism is that their suffering and inequality functions only to benefit the higher classes. Lastly, if our study is geared towards the overall causes and understanding of homelessness, then applying the symbolic interactionist approach would be the least beneficial. Using this theory, sociologists would only look