Historical context, preference, and capabilities : a case study of indigenous peoples’ homelessness experiences in Seattle, USA
Abstract
In order to create effective responses that acknowledge the diversity of homelessness and
its contributing factors, it is beneficial to look at extreme cases. Indigenous peoples
continually rank near the bottom of nearly every US social, health, and economic
indicator (Alba et al. 2003). Furthermore, data consistently indicate that Indigenous
peoples remain overrepresented among the homeless population in the US.
This thesis aims to explain the experiences of homelessness amongst Indigenous peoples
in the US and the impact that current emergency accommodation options have on their
ability to live a well-lived life. It uses Martha Nussbaum's (2011) Capability Approach
– encompassing ten "essential" capabilities required to live a well-lived life – to inform
the analysis of the empirical case study data presented. The thesis begins by investigating
the extent to which US colonialism and historical housing and homelessness policies
account for the disproportionate risk of homelessness experienced by Indigenous peoples.
It moves on to examine the extent to which the currently available forms of emergency
accommodation impact on the capabilities of Indigenous peoples, as understood through
the lens of Nussbaum’s framework. Finally, Nussbaum's capabilities are further drawn
on while seeking to explain the role played by the characteristics of emergency
accommodation in accounting for the decision of some Indigenous peoples in the US to
sleep rough.
This thesis uses a case study approach with the city of Seattle as its focus, which has the
third-largest homeless population in the US, and a highly disproportionate number of
Indigenous peoples affected. The fieldwork undertook a total of 14 interviews with key
stakeholders and 30 interviews with Indigenous peoples experiencing homelessness in
Seattle, as well as a review of local statistics and research reports.
This thesis argues that centuries of colonialism, racially segregated housing, housing
discrimination, and forced relocation affected Indigenous peoples’ ability to accumulate
generational wealth and secure housing. Other findings suggest Indigenous peoples
experiencing homelessness often prioritise control over their safety and health while also
giving importance to cultural identity in navigating emergency accommodation options.
The environmental conditions of emergency shelters required Indigenous peoples to
compromise and prioritise between capabilities and often, as a result, influenced their
decision to sleep rough. Emergency shelter options in Seattle do not support physical
recovery, provide safety, or support the facilitation of connecting to other necessary immediate and long-term resources and housing programmes. The thesis also argues that
Nussbaum's Capability Approach should be modified by changing the definitions of
specific capabilities to accommodate Indigenous peoples’ experiences of homelessness.