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Theoretical Framework Paper on Homelessness
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Theoretical Framework Paper on Homelessness
Misty Jordan
Introduction to Sociology
Professor C
Word count (2024)
INSTRUCTIONS
Homelessness is when people lack a permanent home. Over the years, homelessness has
been a vital social issue affecting many people worldwide. In the United States, the number of
people calculated to be experiencing homelessness was nearly 582 000 in December 2022
(Security.org. 2022). In this paper, I use conflict theory as a theoretical framework focusing on
conformity, social stratification, and social control as sociological concepts. Conflict theory
argues that capitalism is one of the significant causes of homelessness in America. Those with
authority and control resources will likely exploit those without authority and resources.
Conformity is altering one's views, attitudes, perceptions, and beliefs to align with those
held by a particular organization, society, or group. People who are homeless are required to
conform to the norms and expectations of their condition. Social stratification refers to ranking
people in a community based on income, wealth, education, occupation, power, and social status.
The numerous methods and processes by which societies regulate the conduct of people and
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organizations within their boundaries are referred to as social controls. All these social concepts
lead to homelessness situation to individuals in one way or another (Verissimo et al. 2018).
LITERATURE REVIEW
Conflict Theory
According to conflict theory, capitalism is one of the primary reasons why so many
homeless people exist in America. According to this view, society has constant conflict as many
factions compete for limited resources (Verissimo et al. 2018). Those who do will exploit people
without power or control over resources. Understanding how inadequate housing, inadequate
food, unequal access to social services, and the state of the economy might contribute to
homelessness can be done using conflict theory. According to the conflict theory, business
owners deprive their employees of basic human needs like food and housing by feating them.
These employees simultaneously feel well taken care of and implicitly rely on business owners
to look out for them (Verissimo et al. 2018). According to the notion, capitalists seek to
accumulate wealth by all means feasible without considering the best welfare of the salaried
class (Sanchez and Arellano 2022). According to the conflict theory, money is attained most
substantially in a capitalist society through perseverance, hard work, and education. Better off
people view the poor and homeless as uninspired, uneducated, and in need of government aid.
Conformity
Conformity is altering one's beliefs, values, attitudes, and viewpoints to match those of a
particular organization, society, or group. People who are homeless must abide by the standards
and expectations applicable to their circumstances (Sanchez and Arellano 2022). For instance, to
live up to the standards of the homeless community and cope with difficult circumstances,
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homeless persons may develop survival techniques like shelter hopping. Considering the
transgender community, people are forced to take cisgender tests against their will (Begun and
Kattari 2016). People who do not fit society's expectations are frequently condemned and
rejected, which causes homelessness (Begun and Kattari 2016). When looking for shelter,
members of the non-conforming group frequently encounter difficulties. The harsh situation even
forced others to leave shelters, considering the high rates of prejudice (Begun and Kattari 2016).
Social Stratification
Classifying members of society according to their wealth, status, occupation, education,
and other attributes is known as social stratification. In a stratified society, people may become
homeless because their actual and perceived earning potential is so low that they cannot afford
housing (Verissimo et al. 2018). In the U.S., persons of color are more likely to experience
homelessness since they are disproportionately represented among society's poorest and most
marginalized elements (HUD 2021). For instance, in a society where rent for apartments is
exceedingly costly, only the wealthy can live there, leaving the poor without a place to stay.
Social Control
The numerous methods and techniques civilizations employ to regulate how people
behave within their borders are known as social controls. Power and force could make many
people homeless (Verissimo et al. 2018). Criminalizing homelessness and penalizing those who
resort to subsistence activities like panhandling exacerbates the problem while ignoring its root
causes (Katz 2018). According to a homeless woman, the police allegedly picked them up in
white minivans and exposed how the authorities were criminalizing people experiencing
homelessness (Katz 2018). The government has violated the rights of persons impacted by these
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laws and practices. For instance, the eviction of rough sleepers, the imposition of fines, and the
issuance of arrest warrants have left the offenders without a place to live (Katz 2018).
METHODS
I used various sources to learn more about homelessness and its connection to conflict
theory during my study. Primarily, I relied on scholarly publications and peer-reviewed journals
as my primary sources to ensure the data was accurate and dependable. I used information and
publications from credible agencies like the National Alliance to End Homelessness and the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). I also used journals like the Journal of
Gay & Lesbian Social Services. To ensure the information was current and pertinent, I gathered
it from secondary sources published between 2016 and the present.
The sources gathered data through surveys, interviews, and statistical analysis. The
information reflects the number of homeless people in the country. The authors gathered data
from many places and demographics to ensure a thorough understanding of the subject. Despite
the substantial amount of data used, as it is challenging to count the homeless people precisely, it
may not fully reflect the situation. They used only recorded cases to generate the data; therefore,
unreported incidents may still exist. Income disparity is a subject that personally interests me
because it has a significant influence on people and society as a whole. I relied entirely on the
information gathered from reliable sources and applied critical thinking techniques to assess and
understand the material to remain objective.
ANALYSIS
The theoretical angle I choose to pursue is the argument that society constantly conflicts
over scarce resources. According to philosophy, dominance and power, as opposed to agreement
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and conformity, preserve social order. According to the conflict theory, capitalism is the leading
cause of pennilessness in the United States. Because of the division of society into two classes—
the wealthy and the poor—capitalism is the primary cause of homelessness. The conflict theory
claims that business owners degrade their employees by depriving them of basic human needs
like food and shelter (Sanchez and Arellano 2022).
Additionally, many employees implicitly rely on business owners to care for them since
they believe they are sufficiently cared for. According to the theory, capitalists want to gain
wealth by any means possible and do not have the most incredible knowledge of the welfare of
the employed class. According to the conflict theory, money is attained most substantially in a
capitalist society through perseverance, hard work, and education. Better off people view the
poor and homeless as uninspired, uneducated, and in need of government support.
Conformity is changing one's opinions, attitudes, viewpoints, and convictions to reflect
those of a given organization, society, or group. Homeless people must adhere to the standards
and expectations associated with their situation (Verissimo et al. 2018). For instance, to meet the
homeless community's standards and endure unfavorable conditions, people may develop coping
mechanisms like shelter hopping, panhandling, and engaging in illicit activities. For transgender
people, the more frequently they pass for cisgender, the less likely they are to encounter
prejudice in medical settings (Begun and Kattari 2016). In 2011, 6456 transgender respondents
participated in the National Transgender Discrimination Survey (NTDS) (Begun and Kattari
2016). From the same sample, 721 people claimed to have been homeless because they are
transgender, and 1025 have ever sought temporary housing (Begun and Kattari 2016). The staff
expelled around 96 people from homeless shelters, harassed 209 people, physically assaulted 99
people, and sexually assaulted 86 people (Begun and Kattari 2016). A total of 179 people
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claimed they had to leave their shelters because of prejudice, with 161 pretending to be of the
wrong gender to stay (Begun and Kattari 2016). Conformity consequently makes homelessness a
bigger problem.
Chart 1: Conformity and Homelessness
Classifying people in society according to their income, wealth, education, occupation,
influence, and social standing is known as social stratification (Verissimo et al. 2018). Adults
lose their homes when they cannot compete in the market for the financial resources needed to
pay for housing and cannot compete in a non-market battle for compensatory resources,
according to the most widely accepted individual-level explanations of homelessness in the
United States. The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development estimates that
on any given night in 2020, there will be about 580,466 persons who are homeless (HUD 2021).
The number includes people who are unshelteredly homeless and those who live in shelters and
transitional housing. According to the data, the number of people who are homeless has been
broadly stable over the previous few years.
0
500
1000
1500
No.
of
respondents
Factors
Effects of Conformity on Homelessness
homeless temporary settlement
Kicked out of shelters Harrassed
Physical assault sexual assault
discriminated in shelters forced to live as wrong gender
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Chart 2: Social Stratification and Homelessness
To analyze the data, I made the above chart, which shows the number of homeless people
by demographic type. The graph shows that the population of homeless persons is
disproportionately composed of people of color, notably African Americans (HUD 2021). For
instance, whereas just 13 percent of the U.S. population is African American, they represent 40
percent of the homeless population (HUD 2021). Similarly, only 2 percent of Americans are
Native Americans, but they make up 7 percent of the homeless population (HUD 2021). Lastly,
Latinos, who comprise roughly 16 percent of the population overall, are responsible for 23
percent of homelessness (HUD 2021). According to the research, social inequality contributes
significantly to the issue of homelessness. The graph demonstrates that persons of color are more
likely to experience homelessness since they are disproportionately represented among society's
poorest and most marginalized elements.
The systems and procedures society uses to govern individual and group behavior are
called social controls. Social control mechanisms can contribute to or maintain homelessness in
the context of laws and regulations, social norms, and stigmatization (Katz 2018). For instance,
0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
700,000
1
Number of Homeless Individuals per Night in
2020
Total Homeless African American Native American Latino
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criminalizing specific actions like loitering or panhandling may result in the arrest and detention
of homeless people, making it more difficult for them to access shelter and support. Social
stigma and standards can make it difficult for people who are homeless to get work, get medical
care, or find a place to live (Katz 2018). They can also prevent them from forming social
networks (Verissimo et al. 2018).
According to a Law Center analysis of 187 American cities, 55% of the cities had passed
ordinances forbidding sitting or lying down in public, 72% forbade camping in open spaces, and
60% forbade loitering, loafing, and vagrancy. Such rules make it illegal for homeless individuals
to exist (Katz 2018). Such regulations only attempt to hide the issue, not resolve it, making life
difficult for those impacted. One man claims that when enforcing these rules and procedures, law
enforcement personnel are frequently exceedingly brutal (Katz 2018). The situation can
ultimately be worsened by social control mechanisms that criminalize and stigmatize
homelessness, making it more challenging for people to get the aid and support they need.
Chart 3: Social Control and Homelessness
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
99
No.
of
Cities
Activity Prohibited
Social Control and Homelessness
temporary settlement Kicked out of shelters Harrassed
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CONCLUSION
In America, homelessness is a complicated problem resulting from several systemic, cultural,
and individual issues. The conflict theory proposes that society constantly engages in conflicts as
different groups battle for scarce resources, with those in authority abusing those without power
or control over resources, explaining how capitalism perpetuates poverty and homelessness.
Business owners are charged with denying their staff members access to necessities like food and
shelter to amass fortune without thinking about the welfare of the salaried class. According to
this hypothesis, inadequate housing, food, and unequal access to social services are some causes
of homelessness. Conformity and social stratification also play a part in the problem by imposing
standards and expectations on homeless people and disproportionately harming underprivileged
groups. By restricting access to housing and support services and obstructing the formation of
social networks among homeless people, social control mechanisms such as rules and
regulations, social norms, and stigmatization can increase homelessness. A holistic strategy that
addresses these underlying issues and offers extensive support and resources to affected people is
necessary to address homelessness.
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REFERENCES
Begun, S. and Kattari, S.K., 2016. Conforming for survival: Associations between transgender
visual conformity/passing and homelessness experiences. Journal of Gay & Lesbian
Social Services, 28(1), pp.54-66.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10538720.2016.1125821?casa_token=EV
VF644a9g8AAAAA:frqc9qutir2_BLmJSPxZcEThgEPcXm9H1xfmR0vOJQBmRFKkx5
fbPg1vaoMspGR6paLO5ENyxNqQVkM
Katz, Emily K. 2018. Challenging Domestic Injustice Through International Human Rights
Advocacy: Addressing Homelessness in the United States. Cardozo Law Review 39(4):
1523-1562. https://cardozolawreview.com/challenging-domestic-injustice-through-
international-human-rights-advocacy-addressing-homelessness-in-the-united-states/.
Sanchez, B., & Arellano, E. 2022. Homelessness in Southern California: a look toward
prevention. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd/1469/
Security.org. 2022, December 7. Homeless Statistics: How Many People Are Homeless?
Retrieved April 21, 2023, from https://www.security.org/resources/homeless-
statistics/#:~:text=In%20January%20of%202022%2C%20HUD,0.17%25%20of%20the
%20population.
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. 2021, April 14. HUD Awards
$2.5 Billion to Renew Support to Local Homeless Programs. Retrieved from
https://archives.hud.gov/news/2021/pr21-041.cfm
Verissimo, A.O., Henley, N., Davis, C., Grella, C. and Gee, G.C., 2018, November.
Homelessness and Discrimination among US Adults. In APHA's 2018 Annual Meeting &
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Expo (Nov. 10-Nov. 14).
APHA.https://apha.confex.com/apha/2018/meetingapi.cgi/Paper/416549?filename=2018
_Abstract416549.pdf&template=Word
