Identify key issues that a psychologist, sociologist, cultural anthropologist, economist, and political scientist would consider in regard to homelessness. What might we learn if the disciplines and sub-disciplines between them connect and a more interdisciplinary approach is taken?
Watching Glen Anderson’s interview with three social workers from Thurston County, Washington; we learn about the state of the homeless systems that are at state, social, and federal level. We learn that there is a clear fragmented ideal of the homelessness issue in this county, which a reflection of the issue in the country, overall. The recent programs and systems grew out of interdisciplinary studies and the application of them at local and social levels. For an indepth explanation; let us examine the issues that each social science disciple would individually address:-
Psychological: As Jill Severn, the board member of Panza states, “a significant number of homeless people have experienced severe trauma, and have had really difficult childhoods, while the adult chronically homeless; mental illness is a huge factor.” A psychologist would therefore, consider the background mental and emotional stability in determining the causes and effects of homelessness. They may question how self-medicating can lead to self-harming behaviors such as addiction, or chemical and drug abuse. There is a whole range of issues that psychologist can touch, as a separate approach to this issue.
Cultural Anthropological: As Teresa Slusher and Jill Severn discussed the Whack-a-mole policy; where homeless people are required and reprimanded for squatting on sidewalks or in public; we began to understand the stigmas that lay upon the whole homeless spectrum. Societies do not want to deal with homeless people, treating them as outcasts, as criminals even, for simply being homeless which is nonsensical. An Anthropologist may approach the issue by studying the relationships between societies attitudes with the homeless. They may wonder, is the absolute coldness displayed or total disregard in fact a defense mechanism in place that hides a personal and inherent fear of instability within the society member? What can alleviate or change the perspectives of homeless people in a society, or how does these perspectives effect at a personal and social level over time.
Economical: An economist, such as Tereasa Slusher, who as a housing coordinator, “crunches numbers” as a major part of her job to reduce homelessness. She identifies a couple reasons using “Gap Analysis” of why people are homeless, and economically tries to approach the problem. For example, she is a supporter and implementer of the permanent and rapid housing programs which apply services such as sobriety and other addiction rehabilitation after housing the ideal is; after taking care of basic needs, a person would be better equipped to address his emotional and behavioral needs; which would therefore, reduce the costs of long-term rehabilitation, etc. And not surprisingly; the studies done on participants of the program had reduced the alcoholic usage by 50%, among other positive variables. Therefore, we can see an economist would question the best economical way to approach the issue, asking questions such as, how can we connect shelters with outcomes, rather than inputs, or filling up a certain number of beds per night, or how can we improve a system to work more efficiently with the least amount of input?
Political Scientifically: Again, returning to the Whack-a-mole policy as its called in the social work system; people are by law incarcerated for doing things in public that they have no option to do anywhere else due to their homelessness; such as relieving themselves, panhandling, or squatting on sidewalks. A political scientist would question how these policies and laws can affect the homeless issue in itself, it is a positive or negative effect, or is it even having the desired effect or not.
Sociological: Theresa Slusher speaks a lot of segments of the homeless population; which is a sociological approach. She has identified 5 major issues in her gap analysis which include single men and women shelters, youth shelters, and low-barrier shelters. She also says, only 4/10 of the population is homeless, “there isn’t this huge group that needs help, so we should help as much as we can.” A sociologist would analyze the homeless population in respect to the whole population of the county, or country as a whole; and the different fragments or types of homeless people and their intercorrelated needs as a societal group.
I believe the fragmentation of each of these disciplines is detrimental in two ways; the long-term and short-term. In the long-term; the system will began to lead to a dead end; for example; a homeless person discharged into the streets due to no social or communal place/support for this person to be until he or she is physically and mentally stable to care for basic needs and necessities. If the economical and social disciplines worked together; they would’ve been able to address this simple yet important issue. Another example would be the social stigmas that are associated and perpetuated by homeless people. This is so disadvantageous to the society as a whole because such attitudes only perpetuate the issue even more; as one homeless person told Jill Severn; “I felt like a ghost before coming to Quixote Camp, because people would not even notice me, or looked right through me.” In the short-term; systems like rapid-housing and low-barrier shelters would be more widespread if the economical and political science disciples could meld sources and create a system where there is a budget for housing projects and makes policies where low-barrier shelters are available around the country. In conclusion; I think not only will the interdisciplinary outlook on this issue be beneficial to the homeless, but to the society as a whole; for it will build bridges where there is so few. As Jill Severn states, “we are infants, in many ways, in developing relationships with community partners.”
