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Exploring the Culture of Youth Homelessness in Melbourne

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Exploring the Culture of Youth Homelessness in Melbourne HANGING OUT IN THE CONCRETE JUNGLE: EXPLORING THE CULTURE OF YOUTH HOMELESSNESS IN MELBOURNE Submitted By Jennifer L. Hill BSocSc(YthSt) (Hons) A thesis submitted in total fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Philosophy School of Arts and Sciences Faculty of Arts and Sciences Australian Catholic University Research Services Locked Bag 4115 Fitzroy Victoria 3065 I STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP AND SOURCES This thesis contains no material published elsewhere or extracted in whole or in part from a thesis by which I have qualified for or been awarded another degree or diploma. No parts of this thesis have been submitted towards the award of any other degree or diploma in any other tertiary institution. No other person’s work has been used without due acknowledgment in the main text of the thesis. All research procedures reported in the thesis received the approval of the Australian Catholic University Research Ethics Committee. Editorial assistance in the preparation of this thesis was obtained from Ms. R. Almond. Editorial services included proof reading the final draft of the thesis. Jennifer Hill ________________________ II ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Hanging Out in the Concrete Jungle is the product of the generosity, input, patience and support of those who made this journey with me. Although I cannot divulge their true names, I wish to acknowledge and express my gratitude to the young people who contributed their time and invaluable insights to this research. It took a great deal of courage or ‘dash’ (as participants would say) to speak so openly about their lives and experiences. I feel honoured to have been entrusted with their stories and photographs that together shaped this thesis, I hope that my interpretation has done them justice. To my supervisor of seven years, Dr. Jen Couch: Your guidance and support made this thesis possible. The many extra hours that you sacrificed for this project, in reading drafts, providing feedback and checking up on me were invaluable. I thank you for the encouragement you gave me when I needed it the most and, for everything in between. III Table of Contents Abstract ................................................................................................................................................... 1 Glossary of Terms ................................................................................................................................... 1 Preface ..................................................................................................................................................... 3 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 9 Key Research Questions .......................................................................................................... 9 Significance ............................................................................................................................ 10 Defining ‘Subculture’............................................................................................................. 11 Defining Homelessness .......................................................................................................... 11 Youth Homelessness in Australia .......................................................................................... 13 Responding to Youth Homelessness ................................................................................. 14 Negotiating Key Understandings of Youth Homelessness .................................................... 16 Conceptualising the ‘Problem People’: Pathways into Homelessness .............................. 17 Youth Homelessness as a Process: Career Trajectories .................................................... 18 Thesis Structure ...................................................................................................................... 19 Chapter One .......................................................................................................................................... 21 Some Theoretical Starting Points: Academic Debates surrounding Subcultures ................... 22 The Chicago School .......................................................................................................... 22 The British Response: Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies: .................................. 24 The Subcultural Turn ........................................................................................................ 25 Subcultural Theory and Research on Homelessness .............................................................. 26 Subcultural Participation ................................................................................................... 28 Social Exclusion ................................................................................................................ 30 Friendships ........................................................................................................................ 32 Subgroups within the Homeless Subculture ..................................................................... 33 Street Families .................................................................................................................. 35 Me, Myself and I: Changing Identities ............................................................................. 36 Hierarchies within the Subculture ..................................................................................... 37 Routines and Rules ........................................................................................................... 38 Claiming Space ................................................................................................................. 39 Prostitution and Sexual Violence ...................................................................................... 42 To Summarise ........................................................................................................................ 44 Chapter Two .......................................................................................................................................... 47 IV Guiding Methodology – A reflexive approach ...................................................................... 48 Ethnography ...................................................................................................................... 49 Research Methods & Setting .................................................................................................. 50 Research Setting: The Concrete Jungle............................................................................. 51 Participant Observation ..................................................................................................... 53 Semi-Structured Interviews............................................................................................... 56 Auto-Photography ............................................................................................................. 57 Data Analysis ......................................................................................................................... 60 Ethical Considerations ........................................................................................................... 61 Remuneration .................................................................................................................... 63 On Multiple Personalities.................................................................................................. 63 Leaving the Field .............................................................................................................. 65 Introducing the Young People ............................................................................................... 66 Cameron ............................................................................................................................ 66 Stevie................................................................................................................................. 66 Genete ............................................................................................................................... 66 Cookie ............................................................................................................................... 67 Renee................................................................................................................................. 67 Lauren ............................................................................................................................... 67 Glenn ................................................................................................................................. 68 Kane .................................................................................................................................. 68 Beyond their Homelessness: Socio-demographic characteristics of participants .................. 69 Age and Gender ................................................................................................................ 69 Ethnicity ............................................................................................................................ 69 Sexual Orientation and Identity ........................................................................................ 70 Family Background and Contact
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