Faces of Homelessness in the Asia Pacific

Across the Asia Pacific, there are a vast range of experiences of homelessness and an equally diverse range of responses from state systems. Since understandings of homelessness are also heavily dependent on geographical, cultural, and historical contexts, attitudes towards it as a ‘social problem’ are essentially underpinned by ideological considerations.

With a particular focus on critical and international policy and practice, this book builds upon the current scholarship of homelessness across the Asia Pacific. Through examining and comparing a range of state responses, it explores the differing definitions and lived experiences of the issue in a number of countries, including Japan, China, India, Korea, and Australia. The book analyses a range of key themes from welfare provision and legislation to the services provided and the roles played by non-governmental organisations, whilst also recognising the effects of class, gender and ethnicity on homelessness in the region.

Taking an interdisciplinary approach, Faces of Homelessness in the Asia Pacific will be useful to students and scholars of Social Policy, Urban Sociology, Psychology and Asian Studies.

Carole Zufferey is a senior lecturer in Social Work at the University of South Australia. Her work includes the recent publication Homelessness and Social work: An intersectional approach (Routledge, 2017).

Nilan Yu is a lecturer in Social Work at the University of South Australia. He is co-editor of Subversive Action: Extralegal practices for social justice (2015).