ABSTRACT
This chapter develops our understanding of the meaning of home by considering the importance of the spatial boundaries around the home and the importance of the artefacts that we accumulate within it. Making observations about the importance of space and things can sometimes lead to anodyne or platitudinous celebration of the home. One of the reasons for this is that the sheer familiarity of home makes it difficult for people to recognise the depth of meaning it represents. The event of burglary, however, reveals the crucial importance of objects and boundaries for the way in which people construct an image of 'home' and their own sense of self identity. By exploring the impact of the intrusive act of the burglar, it is possible to demonstrate the fragility of the notions of permanence, safety and privacy that are central to the construction of home.
