ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses some questions. How do people who are homeless construct their identities? How does, or not, the homeless identity constructed by those who are not homeless sit with the self-conceptions of homeless people? What do people who are homeless, especially those who have been long-term homeless, identify as unique and significant markers of their sense of self or idealised self? The chapter argues that many people who are homeless do not see themselves as homeless, and rejecting the homeless label has important wellbeing consequences. It demonstrates that, although homelessness often constitutes a physical separation and detachment from family, homeless people nevertheless strongly identify themselves as individuals with reference to their family relationships. The chapter presents evidence of the multiple ways homeless people construct their identities and idealise senses of self. It also presents qualitative and ethnographic data to show how family is the principal reference point that people who are homeless use to construct their personal identities.
