| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
庄谷 怜子 神戸女子大学, 文学部, 教授 (40071211)
HINOKIDANI Emiko Graduate School of Economics at Osaka City University, Associate Professor, 大学院・生活科研究科, 助教授 (60238318)
KODAMA Toru Graduate School of Economics at Osaka City University, Professor, 大学院・経済学研究科, 教授 (00170267)
HIRAKAWA Shigeru Faculty of Humanity and Social Science at International Buddhist University, Associte Professor, 人文社会学部, 助教授 (60258069)
NAKAYAMA Toru College of Social Welfare at Osaka Prefecture University, Professor, 社会福祉学部, 教授 (40237467)
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| Research Abstract |
Through this project several field studies were made in Germany, UK, France, USA and in Belgium. We have visited 10 to 15 institutions, NGOs and experts in each country to have interviews with them and made clear the characteristics of homelessness in each country as well as national policies tackling with it.
Firstly, we have found out that the concepts of homelessness in European countries have wider extension than in Japan. The focus of the policies tackling with homelessness in those countries therefore is not restricted to rough sleepers (people living on the street), and the households staying at emergency shelters, social welfare institutions, dormitories for fatherless families or houses of their friends are also included in the targets of the policies. Those policies to help homeless people are implemented according not to a specific law dedicated exclusively to them, but to the universal public aid system open to all the citizens in need. In the USA, however, the aids are prov
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ided within the framework of a specific Act addressed to homeless people, despite the wider conception of homelessness similar to the European countries.
Secondly, although the basic ideas or viewpoints of policy are common in the European countries we have investigated (e.g., "social exclusion" and "social inclusion"), there are some national differences in their styles of policy implementation. Since Germany is a federal state, regional differences are prominent. The Blair government in the UK organized the Social Exclusion Unit to tackle homelessness as one of its political priorities. In France, after the enactment of the Act against Social Exclusion in 1998, policies in the past are being systematically improved and developed.
Thirdly and lastly, it is remarkable that the assistance activities of NGOs are very active both in the European countries and the USA. This will be an evidence of the fact that many citizens regard homelessness as an important problem in their own societies.
We have already published some results of the research project and will do it further in the future. Less
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